The National Examinations Council (NECO) has reported a sharp decline in examination malpractice in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal results, with only 1,406 candidates implicated — a 64.74 percent drop from the 3,878 cases recorded in 2025.
Releasing the results in Minna, Niger State, NECO Registrar Prof. Dantani Wushishi described the reduction as a major highlight of this year’s exam, which involved over 1.37 million candidates nationwide. However, the results also showed that only 804,948 candidates, or 58.67 percent, achieved five credits and above, including compulsory passes in English Language and Mathematics.
When those two subjects are excluded, the figure jumps to 1,162,118 candidates, or 84.70 percent, meeting the five-credit threshold—highlighting a notable gap between general performance and results in the two subjects most critical for progressing into tertiary education.
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The exam, held between June 15 and July 23, saw 1,378,048 candidates register, with 1,371,992 eventually sitting for it. Results were released 63 days after the final paper was written.
Wushishi credited the improved integrity of the exercise partly to increased vigilance from security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), whose presence he said helped reinforce discipline and deter malpractice.
He noted that despite the encouraging drop in malpractice, more than four in every ten candidates who met the general five-credit benchmark still fell short when English and Mathematics were factored in — underscoring a persistent challenge for students aiming to qualify for higher education.
He added that NECO remains committed to further strengthening its processes to safeguard the credibility of its examinations.
