NECO Announces 71.6% Pass Rate, States Owe ₦2 Billion

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has published the results of the 2025 external Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), revealing a pass rate of 71.63 per cent for candidates who scored five credits and above, including English and Mathematics. The council also disclosed that states owe nearly ₦2 billion in outstanding exam registration fees.

Out of 96,979 candidates registered, 95,160 sat for the exams. While 68,166 candidates met the credit requirement in core subjects, 82,082 achieved five credits and above in any subjects. Credit passes in English and Mathematics were recorded at 78.32 per cent and 91.35 per cent, respectively.

The exams took place from November 26 to December 13, 2025, with marking completed by January 21, 2026. NECO’s Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi, reported a 31.7 per cent increase in examination malpractice cases this year, with 9,016 candidates caught. This led to blacklisting five supervisors and recommending the closure of four centers due to mass cheating.

Candidates can now check their results online using their registration numbers. The council expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his support in advancing educational standards.