NECO records 58.67% pass, 64.7% drop in malpractice

The National Examinations Council (NECO) announced a 58.67% pass rate in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal, with 804,948 candidates achieving five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. Registrar Professor Dantani Wushishi disclosed these results on Thursday, 63 days after the final paper was administered on July 23, 2026.

Wushishi revealed that 1,378,048 candidates registered, comprising 682,352 males and 695,696 females, and only 1,371,992 candidates sat for the exam. He stated that 1,162,118 candidates, or 84.70%, obtained five credits and above, regardless of their performance in English Language and Mathematics, while 804,948 candidates, or 58.67%, met the benchmark of five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.

Examination malpractice saw a significant decline, with 1,406 cases reported in 2026, a 64.74% reduction compared to 3,878 cases in 2025. Wushishi attributed the decline to enhanced examination processes, improved monitoring, and collaboration with security agencies like the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Department of State Services, which helped deter wrongdoing and maintain examination integrity.

Kano State had the most candidates with five credits and above (74,413), followed by Lagos State (72,496) and Oyo State (55,543). The Southwest recorded the highest share in overall performance, constituting 24.60% of candidates who achieved the benchmark. The detailed state, geopolitical zone, and gender rankings are available in the statistical tables accompanying the 2026 SSCE Internal results.