The National Examinations Council (NECO) has announced that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent of those who sat for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
The figure represents a 2.64 percentage-point decline from the 60.26 per cent recorded in the 2025 examination.
The NECO Registrar, Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this on Thursday while announcing the results at a press conference in Minna, Niger State.
Wushishi said 1,378,048 candidates registered for the 2026 examination, while 1,371,992 candidates eventually sat for it.
The examination was conducted from June 15 to July 23, 2026.
According to the registrar, 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above, irrespective of their performance in English Language and Mathematics.
He recalled that 818,492 candidates, representing 60.26 per cent, achieved five credits and above, including the two core subjects, in the 2025 examination.
The council also recorded a substantial decline in examination malpractice during the 2026 exercise.
Wushishi said 1,406 candidates were involved in malpractice, compared with 3,878 cases recorded in 2025, representing a 64.74 per cent reduction.
He attributed the improved conduct of the examination partly to the support provided by security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).
The NECO boss said the agencies' presence and vigilance helped to reinforce discipline, discourage examination malpractice and protect the integrity of the exercise.
Wushishi also expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for reappointing him for a second tenure and thanked the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, for his confidence in the council's leadership.
He assured candidates, parents, schools and other stakeholders that NECO would continue to strengthen its examination processes and uphold the credibility of its results.
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