Low Enrolment in 2026 Common Entrance Exam in Nigeria

The 2026 common entrance examination saw Taraba State, Yobe State, and Adamawa State recording the lowest enrolments, with only 15, 41, and 86 candidates respectively. In contrast, Lagos State had the highest enrolment with 13,228 candidates, followed by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with 9,639 candidates and Anambra State with 4,410 candidates.

Overall, a total of 58,187 candidates sat for the examination, a decline from the 64,578 candidates recorded in 2025. Prof.

Ibrahim Wushishi, the NECO registrar, attributed the higher number of female candidates to the federal government's efforts to promote girl child education. Prof.

Suwaiba Ahmad, the Minister of State for Education, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination but raised concerns over 18 candidates who were absent during her visit to the examination halls. She reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to improving infrastructure for effective teaching and learning.