15,281 Candidates Register for 2026 Common Entrance Exam

On Saturday, the National Business Technical Examination Board reported that 15,281 candidates registered for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination for admission into federal and state technical colleges across Nigeria. This figure represents a sharp decline from the 29,260 candidates who enrolled for the examination in 2025.

The registrar and chief executive officer of the board, Moham Aminu Moham, attributed this reduction to various factors, including the consolidation of colleges and their carrying capacity. Enugu State recorded the highest enrollment with 1,506 candidates, while Zamfara State had the lowest with only 14 candidates.

The examination was conducted smoothly across 203 centers nationwide, with a total of 10,626 male candidates and 4,655 female candidates participating. The federal government, under President Bola Tinubu, is committed to enhancing technical and vocational education and training (TVET) as part of its strategy for national development and youth empowerment.