A total of 58,187 candidates on Saturday sat for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) for admission into Federal Government Colleges across Nigeria.

The registrar of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed this while speaking with journalists after monitoring the examination alongside the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, in Abuja.

Wushishi revealed that female candidates outnumbered males in this year’s exercise, with over 31,000 girls participating compared to about 26,000 boys.

He said the trend reflects growing progress in efforts to promote girl-child education across the country, noting that sustained advocacy by the Ministry of Education was yielding positive results.

“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.

He also noted that the total number of candidates recorded a decline compared to the 64,578 candidates who sat for the examination in 2025.

Despite the slight drop in participation, Wushishi said the examination was conducted smoothly nationwide, with reports indicating a largely hitch-free exercise.

Earlier, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Said Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the examination after monitoring selected centres in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

She visited Model Secondary School, Maitama; Government Science Technical College, Garki; and Federal Government Boys College, Apo, where she observed the examination process.

The minister commended the orderly conduct of candidates and the adherence to examination guidelines by officials across the centres visited.

Speaking after the monitoring exercise, Ahmad said the examination commenced on schedule and proceeded in an organised and peaceful manner.

“We have been to three schools and I am happy with the conduct of the examinations in all the three schools,” she said.

She added that candidates were well-behaved, properly seated, and that the exercise started promptly as scheduled across the centres visited. (LEADERSHIP)

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