The Federal Government has officially released the results of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), with 10 candidates emerging as the highest performers after each scored 202 out of a maximum obtainable 210 marks, marking the beginning of the admission process into the nation’s Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Colleges.
The Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Ahmad, announced the results on Thursday in Abuja after receiving the examination report from the National Examinations Council (NECO). She described the National Common Entrance Examination as the gateway to admission into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) in the country’s Unity Colleges, noting that the schools continue to play a vital role in promoting national integration by bringing together children from different ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds.
According to the minister, 70,357 candidates registered for the examination conducted on June 6, 2026, across Nigeria as well as designated centres in the Republic of Benin and Togo. Out of the registered candidates, 66,950 sat for the examination, while 3,407 were absent. She further disclosed that while 10 candidates attained the highest score of 202 marks, 82 candidates recorded the lowest score of one mark, highlighting the wide variation in candidates’ performance.
Professor Ahmad noted that the annual examination remains one of Nigeria’s most competitive entrance assessments because it determines admission into the country’s Federal Government Colleges, which have consistently attracted thousands of applications from parents seeking quality secondary education for their children. She added that “the National Common Entrance Examination is conducted annually for qualified Nigerian children, both at home and abroad, seeking admission into the Federal Government Colleges spread across the country.”
She reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening the Unity College system through continuous improvements in infrastructure, teaching quality and student welfare, stating that “our Federal Government Colleges have become the first choice for many parents across Nigeria. We will continue to improve infrastructure, feeding and the quality of teachers to ensure better learning outcomes for our children.”
Earlier, the Registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, formally presented both the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination results and the National Gifted Examination results to the Minister for public release. The presentation officially signalled the commencement of the admission process into the Federal Government Colleges and the Federal Government Academy, Suleja.
The release of the results is expected to pave the way for admission and placement exercises into Unity Colleges across the country, as parents and candidates await the commencement of the next phase of the admission process.
