More than 35 million candidates have sat for examinations conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) since its inception a quarter-century ago, the body’s Registrar announced Wednesday.
Prof. Wushishi made the disclosure at a gala and awards night held as part of activities marking the Council’s 25th anniversary celebration in Minna.
He said the feat underscores the Council’s growing impact on educational assessment and national development.
Prof. Wushishi recalled that the Council was established on July 10, 1999, following years of public demand for a credible, efficient and nationally responsive examination body.
According to him, the creation of NECO was the outcome of recommendations by several government panels and committees between 1977 and 1997, all of which emphasised the need for a national examination institution capable of meeting the growing educational needs of Nigerians.
“Over the last 25 years, our work has touched the lives of almost 35 million Nigerians through various examinations. This reflects the trust reposed in NECO and our unwavering commitment to fairness, credibility and integrity in examination administration,” he said.
The Registrar noted that the silver jubilee celebration was not only an opportunity to celebrate institutional milestones, but also a moment for reflection, recognition and renewed commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in educational assessment.
He reaffirmed NECO’s resolve to sustain high standards in examination administration through the adoption of modern technology, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and investment in human capital and institutional processes.
Meanwhile, NECO honoured top-performing schools in its Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal since inception.
Among the awardees were Dority International Early Learning School, which emerged as the overall best-performing secondary school, Federal Government Academy in second place, and Air Force Comprehensive School in third place.
In the state performance category, Douye Diri was recognised on behalf of Bayelsa State as the state with the highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception.
Dapo Abiodun and Monday Okpebholo were also honoured for the performances of Ogun State and Edo State respectively.
Similarly, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was recognised for Lagos State recording the highest number of registered candidates in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception, while Uba Sani and Seyi Makinde were honoured for the performances of Kaduna State and Oyo State respectively.
The NECO Registrar expressed appreciation to staff, partners, governments, schools and stakeholders for their support over the past 25 years, pledging that the Council would continue to uphold integrity, transparency and excellence in educational assessment across Nigeria.
