The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, recording a 71.63 per cent pass rate for candidates who obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim-Wushishi, announced the development on Wednesday at a news conference held at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State. He said the examination was conducted between November 26 and December 13, 2025, while the marking exercise took place from January 5 to January 21, 2026, with the results released 52 days after the last written paper.
According to him, 96,979 candidates registered for the examination, comprising 51,823 males (53.43 per cent) and 45,156 females (46.56 per cent), while 95,160 candidates eventually sat for the examination. Of this number, 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, secured five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. He added that 82,082 candidates, representing 86.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above irrespective of the two core subjects.
A breakdown of performance in key subjects showed strong results, particularly in Mathematics. English Language was taken by 93,425 candidates, with 73,167 candidates (78.32 per cent) scoring credit and above. In Mathematics, 93,330 candidates sat for the examination, out of which 85,256 candidates (91.35 per cent) obtained credit and above.
Prof. Ibrahim-Wushishi explained that the SSCE External examination provides a second opportunity for candidates seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions within and outside Nigeria. He added that the examination covered 16 subjects, describing the timely release of the results as another milestone in NECO’s commitment to delivering credible and reliable assessments.
However, the registrar expressed concern over a rise in examination malpractice. He disclosed that 9,016 candidates were booked for various forms of malpractice during the exercise, an increase of 31.7 per cent compared to the 6,160 cases recorded in 2024. He added that five supervisors were recommended for blacklisting for aiding and abetting malpractice, including two from the Federal Capital Territory and one each from Kano, Adamawa, and Ondo states.
In addition, four examination centres were recommended for de-recognition over whole-centre malpractice. According to him, two of the centres are in Niger State, while Yobe and Kano states recorded one centre each.
Candidates were advised to check their results on NECO’s official website using their examination registration numbers. Prof. Ibrahim-Wushishi also announced the release of the 2026 Automated Staff Posting Calendar (APC), explaining that staff postings have now been randomised to enhance transparency. He said staff can access their APC details online using their date of birth and file number, without the prefix “P”.