This year, a record 1,367,210 candidates are participating in the 2025 SSCE, which NECO is conducting using a dual mode: traditional Paper-Pencil Testing (PPT) and the newly introduced CBT. Among the total, 685,551 are male while over 681,300 are female. The figures underscore a steady balance in gender representation.
Kano State led with the highest number of registered candidates, boasting over 137,000 enrollees, while Kebbi State recorded just above 5,000. At the international level, the Nigerian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, registered the lowest number, with only eight students.
The NECO Registrar, Professor Ibrahim Wushishi, made this announcement during an inspection of the CBT pilot exercise at SASCON International School in Abuja. He was accompanied by the Minister of State for Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who described the development as a critical move toward modernizing Nigeria’s examination landscape.
For the first time in its history, NECO is experimenting with the CBT format, a model already widely used by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). According to Prof. Wushishi, NECO is prepared to scale CBT across the country, despite acknowledged infrastructural challenges in certain rural areas.
“NECO is ready as a professional body to conduct examinations using any medium,” he affirmed. “Yes, we are aware of infrastructure gaps, especially in hard-to-reach areas. But that will not deter us. With proper support at the state level, we can expand CBT infrastructure and make this vision a nationwide reality.”
Dr. Alausa echoed this optimism, noting that the CBT rollout is part of a larger strategy to curb exam malpractice and improve the credibility of public examinations. He also emphasized that NECO and WAEC must begin full CBT implementation by 2026, in line with a federal mandate.
“We will no longer conduct NECO or WAEC exams solely within school premises,” Alausa said. “These assessments will now take place at designated CBT centres, much like JAMB. This move will not only reduce cheating but also unlock new opportunities in the digital economy.”
The Minister highlighted the potential economic benefits of the transition, particularly for operators of CBT centres across the country. With thousands of such centres already active, primarily for JAMB, extending their utility to NECO and WAEC will deepen the education technology value chain, foster local innovation, and create jobs in ICT and related sectors.
Alausa commended NECO's leadership for what he described as a successful and credible pilot. “When we proposed CBT for secondary school exams, many believed it was impossible. But what we’ve seen today proves otherwise. NECO has shown that it can be done, and done well.”
As part of the phased transition, this year’s SSCE will feature full CBT deployment for objective questions. By November 2025, both NECO and WAEC are expected to administer all multiple-choice papers via CBT, with essay sections to follow in 2026.
The bold reform aligns with the education agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which has prioritized digital transformation and transparency across public sectors.
“This is about restoring integrity to our examination system,” Alausa concluded. “We cannot continue with exam malpractice and leaked papers. If we do, we risk sabotaging the future of our youth. Today, we are building a system that protects and empowers them instead.”