The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Internal Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), revealing that 38 schools across 13 states were involved in cases of widespread cheating during the conduct of the examination.
Announcing the release of the results in Minna on Tuesday, NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed that 3,878 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice, while nine supervisors were recommended for blacklisting for aiding and abetting cheating, poor supervision, lateness, assault, insubordination, and other acts of misconduct. He identified the affected supervisors as three from Rivers State, three from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and one each from Niger, Kano, and Osun states.
Wushishi said the 38 schools indicted for whole school cheating have been invited to the council’s headquarters for further investigation, after which appropriate sanctions would be applied. Despite the infractions, he described the 2025 SSCE as one of the most successful examinations conducted by NECO in recent years, noting that the results were released just 54 days after the last paper was written.
Giving a breakdown of the candidates’ performance, Wushishi said 1,367,210 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 1,345,339 sat for it. Of this number, 817,492 candidates, representing 60.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. He added that 1,144,496 candidates, representing 84.26 per cent, scored five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics.
He further stated that 1,622 candidates with special needs participated in the examination. These included candidates with hearing and visual impairments, albinism, autism, low vision, and Adermatoglyphia, a rare genetic disorder that results in the absence of fingerprints. Wushishi described the inclusivity of the examination process as a reflection of NECO’s commitment to equal opportunity for all categories of learners.
The registrar also disclosed that the results of eight schools in Lamorde Local Government Area of Adamawa State were withheld due to a communal clash that disrupted the examination. He explained that the affected students were unable to complete their papers, and discussions were ongoing with the state government to explore the possibility of rescheduling the examination for them.
He added that candidates can access their results on the NECO website using their examination registration numbers. He noted that this year’s result release represents a significant improvement in the council’s turnaround time and overall service delivery.
Reflecting on his tenure, which may soon come to an end, Wushishi expressed pride in the progress NECO has made in reducing examination malpractice. He reported a 61.58 per cent drop in malpractice cases compared to the previous year, from 10,094 cases in 2024 to 3,878 in 2025. He attributed the decline to enhanced monitoring, stricter enforcement by NECO staff, and greater awareness among candidates about the consequences of malpractice.
Wushishi also warned that states owing the council would not have access to their candidates’ results until all outstanding debts were cleared.
He revealed that NECO is working to modernise its examination processes, with plans underway to introduce a hybrid format that combines computer-based testing and the traditional pen-and-paper model for the 2025 external examinations.
The registrar, who has overseen a period of reform and innovation at the council, said he remains proud of the strides made during his tenure, particularly in strengthening examination integrity, improving result delivery time, and positioning NECO for a more technology-driven future.
