The National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially released the results of the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) External, recording a 71.63 per cent pass rate nationwide.
The Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Dantani Ibrahim-Wushishi, disclosed this during a press briefing at the council’s headquarters in Minna, Niger State. According to him, the examination was conducted between November 26 and December 13, 2025, while the marking exercise took place from January 5 to January 21, 2026.
Key Statistics
A total of 96,979 candidates registered for the examination, out of which 95,160 candidates sat for it. Male candidates accounted for 50,785 (53.36%), while 44,375 (46.63%) were female. The candidates were examined in 16 subjects.
Performance Breakdown
Out of the total number of candidates who sat for the examination, 68,166 candidates, representing 71.63 per cent, obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
In subject-specific performance:
- English Language: 93,425 candidates sat for the subject, with 78.32 per cent achieving credit and above.
- Mathematics: 93,330 candidates sat for Mathematics, with 91.35 per cent securing credit and above.
Additionally, 82,082 candidates, representing 86.26 per cent, obtained five credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.
Examination Malpractice Concerns
While commending candidates for their overall performance, the NECO Registrar expressed concern over the rise in examination malpractice. A total of 9,016 candidates were booked for various forms of malpractice during the examination, representing a 31.7 per cent increase compared to the 6,160 cases recorded in the previous year.
As part of disciplinary measures, NECO has recommended the blacklisting of five supervisors and the derecognition of four examination centres implicated in whole-centre malpractice.
Significance of the Results
The release of the 2025 SSCE External results provides an important academic pathway for candidates seeking admission into tertiary institutions in Nigeria and abroad. It also highlights the need for strengthened efforts to uphold examination integrity across the country.
Candidates are advised to check their results through NECO’s official result-checking platforms.
