The National Examinations Council, NECO, has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination for internal candidates, recording an improvement in performance and a significant drop in cases of malpractice.
The announcement was made by NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, at a press briefing held in Minna on Wednesday.
Wushishi described the release of the results as a milestone that reflects the Council’s unwavering commitment to integrity, fairness, and transparency in the nation’s education system.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his leadership and support, stating that the government’s commitment has enabled NECO to strengthen its operations and ensure credible assessments.
“Your leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment create the enabling environment in which institutions like NECO can strive for higher standards, transparency, and accountability,” Wushishi said. “This support fuels our drive to deliver fair, credible, and timely results for our nation’s students.”
According to NECO, a total of 1,367,210 candidates registered for the June/July 2025 SSCE, with 1,358,339 eventually sitting for the examination.
Out of this figure, 818,492 candidates—representing 60.26 percent—secured at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
When results excluding the compulsory subjects of Mathematics and English were considered, the pass rate rose to 84.26 percent, with 1,144,496 candidates achieving five credits and above.
The performance data also highlighted state rankings. Kano State topped the list with 68,159 candidates scoring five credits, including English and Mathematics, representing 5.02 percent of the total.
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Lagos State followed closely with 67,007 (4.93 percent), while Oyo State came third with 48,742 successful candidates.
At the other end of the scale, Gabon, one of the overseas centres, recorded no candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark.
Wushishi also announced a sharp reduction in cases of examination malpractice. In 2025, 3,878 candidates were caught engaging in malpractice, compared to 10,094 cases in 2024—a 61.58 percent drop.
However, the council identified 38 schools across 13 states involved in mass cheating. Nine supervisors in Rivers, Niger, FCT, Kano, and Osun were also recommended for blacklisting due to various offences ranging from aiding malpractice to indiscipline.
The NECO boss also drew attention to disruptions in Adamawa State, where communal clashes in Lamorde Local Government Area affected the conduct of examinations in eight schools.
Thirteen subjects and 29 papers were disrupted, and discussions are ongoing with the state government to organise fresh examinations for affected students.
Wushishi explained that NECO had reviewed its curriculum to align with current educational objectives, noting that only 38 subjects will now be examined.
This move is intended to streamline the assessment process and reduce waiting time for results.
He commended the support of the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Assembly Committees on Education, and Niger State Government for their cooperation in ensuring smooth conduct of the examinations.
The registrar concluded by stressing that the release of the results within 54 days of the last written paper underscored NECO’s commitment to timely service delivery.
He expressed confidence that the reforms being implemented under the Tinubu administration would continue to enhance credibility, promote merit, and support national development through education.
NAN
