The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), 54 days after the final paper was written.
Announcing the results in Minna, Niger State, on Wednesday, NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, said a total of 1,358,339 candidates sat for the June/July examination.
Of this figure, 818,492 candidates representing 60.26 per cent obtained five credits and above, including Mathematics and English.
According to him, 1,144,496 candidates, or 84.26 per cent, scored five credits and above, irrespective of English and Mathematics.
He noted that 1,367,210 candidates registered for the examination, consisting of 685,514 males and 681,696 females, while 1,358,339 eventually sat.
The registrar added that 1,622 candidates with special needs also participated, including 941 with hearing impairment and 191 with visual impairment.
On malpractice, Professor Wushishi reported that 3,878 candidates were involved in various forms of cheating in 2025, a sharp reduction of 61.58 per cent compared to the 10,094 cases recorded in 2024.
He explained that 38 schools across 13 states were indicted for mass cheating and would face sanctions. Nine supervisors in Rivers, Niger, the Federal Capital Territory, Kano, and Osun states were also recommended for blacklisting over poor supervision, aiding malpractice, lateness, and misconduct.
Wushishi disclosed that communal clashes in Adamawa State disrupted examinations in eight schools between July 7 and 25, affecting 13 subjects and 29 papers. He said the council was working with the state government to reschedule the affected examinations.
A breakdown of performance by state showed Kano leading with 68,159 candidates, or 5.02 per cent, achieving five credits and above, including English and Mathematics. Lagos followed with 67,007 candidates (4.93 per cent), while Oyo ranked third with 48,742 candidates. Gabon was recorded as the least-performing centre, with no candidate achieving five credits, including English and Mathematics.
The registrar also announced that NECO had reduced the number of examinable subjects to 38 under its revised curriculum, a move aimed at ensuring efficiency and reducing waiting time for results.
He further reaffirmed NECO’s commitment to its ongoing transition from paper-pencil testing to computer-based testing, with some schools already participating in the pilot phase.
The release of the 2025 results continues a long-standing conversation about examination integrity in Nigeria. In previous years, NECO grappled with widespread malpractice, often linked to so-called “miracle centres” where students were aided to cheat.
Despite these issues, NECO has consistently introduced reforms aimed at strengthening the credibility of its examinations. The sanctioning of schools and supervisors, the reduction in examinable subjects, and the gradual shift to computer-based testing are part of efforts to align with global best practices.
Professor Wushishi assured that the Council would remain committed to transparency, fairness, and innovation in the conduct of its examinations, while urging schools, teachers, and candidates to uphold the highest standards of honesty and diligence.
