NECO releases 2025 SSCE external results, records 71.63% pass rate

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has published the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, recording an overall pass rate of 71.63 per cent.

Announcing the development at a press briefing on Wednesday at NECO’s headquarters in Minna, the council’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim-Wushishi, said the examination was held between November 26 and December 13, 2025. He added that scripts were marked from January 5 to January 21, 2026, with the results released 52 days after the final paper.

According to him, a total of 96,979 candidates registered for the examination, made up of 51,823 males (53.43 per cent) and 45,156 females (46.56 per cent). Out of this number, 95,160 candidates eventually sat for the exams, including 50,785 males (53.36 per cent) and 44,375 females (46.63 per cent).

Ibrahim-Wushishi disclosed that 93,425 candidates wrote the English Language paper, with 73,167 of them, representing 78.32 per cent, securing credit and above. For Mathematics, he said 93,330 candidates participated, out of which 85,256 candidates, or 91.35 per cent, obtained credit and above.

He further explained that 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, achieved five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, while 82,082 candidates, or 86.26 per cent, earned five credits and above regardless of English and Mathematics.

The registrar noted that the SSCE External serves as an alternative pathway for candidates seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions both within Nigeria and abroad. He added that the examination, which covered 16 subjects, marked another significant step in NECO’s commitment to credible and reliable assessments.

On examination malpractice, Ibrahim-Wushishi revealed that 9,016 candidates were booked for various offences during the exercise. He said this figure represented a 31.7 per cent increase compared to the 6,160 candidates recorded in 2024.

He also disclosed that five supervisors were recommended for blacklisting for their roles in aiding malpractice, with two from the Federal Capital Territory and one each from Kano, Adamawa and Ondo states. In addition, four examination centres were proposed for derecognition over whole-centre malpractice—two in Niger State and one each in Yobe and Kano states.

Candidates were advised to access their results on NECO’s official website using their examination registration numbers.

The registrar also announced the release of the 2026 Automated Staff Posting Calendar (APC), explaining that staff postings would now be randomised and accessible online. He said staff members could check their posting details via the APC portal using their date of birth and file number without the “P” prefix.