The Federal Government has proposed a harmonised timetable for Nigeria’s major external examinations in 2027, targeting the release of results by August to enable eligible candidates to begin tertiary admission processes by September.
Under the proposed schedule, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board’s Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will hold from March 15 to 25, 2027, with results expected in March.
The National Examinations Council’s Senior School Certificate Examination (NECO-SSCE) is scheduled for April 1 to May 14, while the West African Examinations Council’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC-WASSCE) is proposed for May 11 to June 18.
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examination is scheduled for June 1 to July 5, while the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) examination is proposed for June 10 to July 9.
Results for NECO, WAEC, NABTEB and NBAIS are targeted for release in August 2027, according to a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday, October 14.
The ministry said the plan followed a meeting convened in Abuja by the Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with heads and representatives of examination bodies.
The meeting focused on aligning examination schedules, reducing clashes between examinations and ensuring results are processed and released in time for tertiary admissions.
The ministry said the initiative forms part of the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which is aimed at improving coordination and efficiency across the education sector.
It added that engagement with the examination bodies would continue to ensure compliance with the agreed timelines and strengthen accountability around examination administration and results release.
The proposed schedule is intended to give eligible candidates access to their results before tertiary institutions advance their admission processes in September.
The ministry said the Federal Government remained committed to improving coordination across the examination system to support timely access to higher education.
