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NECO reports decline in 2026 common entrance exam candidates, female participation increases
via Punch Nigeria2 min read
The National Examinations Council NECO reported that 58,187 candidates sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination for admission into Federal Government Colleges. This figure represents a decrease from the 64,578 candidates who registered in 2025. NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, noted that female candidates, numbering over 31,000, outnumbered male candidates, around 26,000, for this year's examination, attributing this to efforts in promoting girl-child education. The examination was largely hitch-free, according to reports received nationwide. The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the organization of the examination after visiting three centers in Abuja, noting orderly candidates and timely commencement. However, she raised concerns about absentee candidates in some centers and emphasized the need to investigate the reasons. The Minister also reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to improving educational infrastructure. Lagos recorded the highest number of candidates with 13,228, while Taraba had the lowest with 15 registrations.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
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