The National Examinations Council (NECO) has recorded a major decline in NECO exam malpractice, with 1,406 candidates involved in various forms of examination malpractice during the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal. The figure represents a 64.74 per cent reduction compared with the 3,878 candidates involved in malpractice during the 2025 examination.
NECO Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, announced the results on Thursday in Minna, Niger State, while giving an overview of the performance of candidates and the conduct of the examination. The 2026 SSCE Internal examination attracted 1,378,048 registered candidates, of whom 1,371,992 eventually sat for the examination conducted between June 15 and July 23, 2026.
NECO Exam Malpractice Falls From 3,878 to 1,406 Candidates
The sharp reduction in malpractice cases was one of the major highlights of the 2026 examination, as the number of candidates involved fell from 3,878 in 2025 to 1,406 this year, representing a decline of almost two-thirds within a single examination cycle. According to Wushishi, the improvement reflects the council’s continued efforts to strengthen the supervision and monitoring of its examinations while working with relevant security agencies to maintain discipline at examination centres.
The registrar specifically acknowledged the support of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), whose personnel assisted with monitoring the examination and maintaining order during the exercise. Wushishi said the presence and vigilance of the security agencies helped to reinforce discipline, discourage attempts to compromise the examination process and protect the integrity of the assessment.
The decline also comes against the background of NECO’s wider move towards technology-driven examinations. Earlier in the year, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, said the Computer-Based Test format could make examination malpractice more difficult because candidates receive different sets of questions, reducing opportunities for them to communicate or copy from one another.
NECO has continued to strengthen its examination procedures and monitoring systems as part of efforts to maintain confidence in the SSCE, while the council has also expanded the use of electronic processes in areas such as the recruitment of examination supervisors.
2026 NECO Results Show Mixed Credit Performance
Beyond the decline in malpractice, the 2026 NECO results also showed a difference in the number of candidates who secured at least five credits depending on whether English Language and Mathematics were included in the requirement.
A total of 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. However, the figure rose significantly to 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, when English Language and Mathematics were not included in the requirement.
The figures provide one of the key indicators from this year’s results, particularly for candidates who will rely on their SSCE grades as they pursue admission into universities, polytechnics, colleges of education and other tertiary institutions. The results were released 63 days after candidates wrote the final examination paper, with Wushishi announcing the figures at the council’s headquarters in Minna.
The examination took place across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, while NECO also conducted the exercise in several countries outside Nigeria. The council has previously stated that its examinations have an international reach, with candidates sitting for NECO examinations in foreign locations where Nigerian curricula are offered.
With the release of the 2026 results, candidates can now proceed with the next stage of their academic plans, including the use of their results for admission processes where applicable. NECO, meanwhile, says it remains committed to maintaining the credibility of its examinations and improving the systems used to conduct and monitor them.
The substantial reduction in malpractice cases therefore stands alongside the overall performance figures as one of the notable developments from this year’s SSCE Internal examination, with the council expected to continue its efforts to strengthen examination integrity and ensure that future assessments meet the required standards.
