Girls Outnumber Boys in Nigeria's Common Entrance Exam

On Saturday, over 58,000 candidates across Nigeria sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE). The National Examination Council (NECO) reported that 58,187 candidates participated, with female candidates constituting a larger share at 31,000 compared to 26,000 boys.

This reflects ongoing efforts by the Ministry of Education to promote girl-child education. NECO Registrar Prof.

Ibrahim Wushishi noted a decline from 64,578 candidates registered in 2025. The examination was monitored by NECO officials, including Prof.

Suwaiba Ahmad, who expressed satisfaction with the orderly conduct of the exam. However, concerns were raised regarding 18 candidates who were absent.

The examination process was described as well-coordinated, with no major challenges reported. Taraba State recorded the lowest number of registered candidates at 15, while Lagos State had the highest with 13,228 candidates participating.