The National Examinations Council (NECO) has broadened its international presence with the accreditation of schools in Burkina Faso to conduct its key examinations, the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
NECO’s spokesperson, Azeez Sani, confirmed the development on Sunday, describing it as a major step in the council’s regional expansion and commitment to accessible, high-quality assessment services for students outside Nigeria.
According to Sani, the accreditation followed a comprehensive evaluation mission by a NECO team to selected schools in Burkina Faso. The delegation assessed facilities including classrooms, libraries, laboratories, computer centres, workshops, examination halls, and security infrastructure. The team also reviewed Continuous Assessment (CA) records, staffing adequacy, and general learning conditions before granting approval.
“After what was described as a thorough and detailed evaluation, the schools were granted full accreditation to host the SSCE and BECE,” he said.
Sani noted that the expansion underscores NECO’s ambition to become a leading examination body in Africa. With its growing global presence, he said, NECO is poised “to offer opportunities for Nigerian students and other foreign nationals worldwide to benefit from its expertise.”
He recalled that the council recently opened an examination centre in London, joining existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Amb. M.D. Galadima, welcomed the development, calling it a relief for Nigerian families living in the country. He explained that many parents previously struggled with differences in educational systems and the absence of English-language schools.
“Previously, parents had to take their children to Saki, Oyo State, to register and write the examination, exposing students and parents to security risks and imposing heavy financial burdens on families and school proprietors,” he said.
Galadima noted that the accreditation would ease those challenges and urged Nigerians in Burkina Faso to seize the opportunity by registering their children for NECO examinations.
Leader of the accreditation team, Dr. Uche Ezenwanne, said the move would allow Nigerian students in Burkina Faso to take SSCE and BECE without travelling back home, thereby strengthening NECO’s role as “Africa’s foremost examination body.”
The council’s expansion represents a significant step in improving educational access for diaspora communities and advancing regional integration in assessment standards.
