OVER 1.36 MILLION CANDIDATES SIT FOR NECO CBT EXAMINATION NATIONWIDE

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By: Muftau Fatimo

Approximately 1,367,210 candidates are taking the 2025 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination nationwide, utilizing both Computer Based Testing (CBT) and Paper Pencil Testing (PPT) formats.

Of the total candidates, 685,551 are male, while over 681,300 are female.

Kano State ranks among the states with the highest number of registered candidates, boasting more than 137,000 enrolments, whereas Kebbi recorded the lowest, with just over 5,000 candidates.

The NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, shared the statistics while overseeing the examination at a pilot Computer-Based Testing (CBT) centre located at SASCON International School, Maitama, Abuja, on Tuesday.

This examination represents NECO’s first attempt at implementing CBT for the O-level exams in selected centres across Nigeria.

It is worth noting that the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, recently directed NECO and WAEC to transition their examinations to the CBT format by 2026.

Accordingly, NECO selected several established schools within the Federal Capital Territory for this pilot phase.

When asked about the practicality of conducting post-basic examinations via CBT, Wushishi responded, “As a professional body, NECO is prepared to conduct examinations through any medium.

“While infrastructure challenges do exist, they will not deter us from moving forward.

“There are sufficient facilities available to enable us to implement CBT, and we are fully ready for this transition. We recognize that certain remote areas across the country may face difficulties unless exceptional infrastructure is in place.

“However, overall, we are very confident and ready to proceed as a professional examination body.”

Regarding provisional infrastructure, we urge state governments to accelerate efforts in providing the necessary CBT facilities within their regions.

“We strongly support this initiative because we believe it will significantly reduce examination malpractice and enhance the overall quality of the exams, which in turn will improve the credibility of the results and certificates.

“We are proud that our results and certificates are globally recognized, and we remain committed to expanding their reach worldwide. NECO is fully prepared to meet these expectations.

“This year, a total of 1,367,210 candidates registered for the SSCE, marking the highest registration to date. Of this number, 685,551 are male candidates, while over 681,300 are female. Kano State recorded the highest number of registrants, exceeding 137,000, whereas Kebbi had the lowest with just over 5,000 candidates.

“The Nigerian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, registered the fewest candidates, with only eight students.”