58,187 Candidates Sit 2026 Common Entrance Exam Nationwide, NECO Reports Decline

A total of 58,187 candidates sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination on Saturday, as the National Examinations Council (NECO) conducted the test for admission into Federal Government Colleges nationwide. NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed the figure while briefing journalists in Abuja after monitoring the exam alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad. He noted that this year's turnout marks a decline from the 64,578 candidates who registered in 2025. Wushishi said female candidates outnumbered their male counterparts this year, with over 31,000 girls registering compared to roughly 26,000 boys. He linked the trend to ongoing efforts to promote girl-child education. "I think this reflects the efforts of the ministry in promoting girl-child education and shows that positive results are being achieved in that regard," he said. On the conduct of the exam, Wushishi said reports from across the country indicated the exercise ran largely without incident. Ahmad, who inspected three examination centres in Abuja, said she was satisfied with how the exam was organised, describing candidates as orderly and well supervised, with tests starting on schedule. She also confirmed that registration documents showed compliance with the prescribed age requirements for candidates. However, she flagged concerns over absenteeism recorded at some centres, noting that about 18 candidates were absent in one hall she visited, and stressed the importance of establishing the reasons behind this. She added that the schools visited had adequate facilities for the exam and reaffirmed the Federal Government's commitment to improving educational infrastructure nationwide. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Taraba State recorded the lowest number of candidates with just 15 registrations, while Lagos State recorded the highest turnout with 13,228 candidates. During the monitoring exercise, the minister and NECO officials visited Model Secondary School, Maitama; Government Science and Technical College, Garki; and Federal Government Boys' College, Garki.