NECO Reports Decline in 2026 Common Entrance Exam Candidates

The National Examination Council (NECO) disclosed that 58,187 candidates sat for the 2026 common entrance exam, a decline from 64,578 candidates in 2025. Prof.

Ibrahim Wushishi, the NECO Registrar, reported this during a briefing with journalists in Abuja, alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad.

Female candidates accounted for approximately 31,000 of the registrations, compared to 26,000 male candidates, reflecting efforts to promote girl-child education. The examination was conducted without major issues, as indicated by reports received from across the country.

Prof. Ahmad expressed satisfaction with the organization of the exam but raised concerns about the 18 candidates absent from the examination halls during her visit.

She emphasized the need to ascertain the reasons for absenteeism and noted the importance of school visits to facilitate the examination process. Taraba recorded the lowest number of candidates with 15 registered, while Lagos had the highest with 13,228 candidates.