The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, recording a 71.63 per cent pass rate, with candidates attaining five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim-Wushishi, during a press briefing at the council’s headquarters in Minna.
Prof. Ibrahim-Wushishi disclosed that the examination was conducted between November 26 and December 13, 2025, while the marking exercise took place from January 5 to January 21, 2026. He noted that the results were released 52 days after the last paper was written.
A total of 96,979 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 95,160 sat for it. Male candidates accounted for more than half of those who participated, with the remainder being female.
According to the registrar, 78.32 per cent of candidates who sat for English Language earned a credit and above, while Mathematics recorded a higher success rate of 91.35 per cent.
In all, 68,166 candidates obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics, while 82,082 candidates recorded five credits and above irrespective of the two core subjects.
He explained that the SSCE External serves as an alternative opportunity for candidates seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions both within and outside Nigeria. The examination covered 16 subjects, which he described as part of NECO’s commitment to maintaining credible and standardised assessments.
On examination malpractice, Prof. Ibrahim-Wushishi revealed that 9,016 candidates were booked for various offences, representing a 31.7 per cent increase compared to the 2024 exercise. He added that five supervisors have been recommended for blacklisting over alleged involvement in malpractice.
