By Felix Khanoba
No fewer than 64,000 primary school leavers from Nigeria and neighbouring Benin Republic and Togo wrote this year’s National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) on Saturday, vying for places in the nation’s Federal Government Colleges popularly known as Unity Schools.
After inspecting centres at Model Secondary School, Maitama, and Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, on Saturday, Minister of State for Education Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, declared the exam, conducted by the National Examinations Councils (NECO), seamless.
“I’m very happy with the way the exams have been conducted. They started on time, students were orderly, and invigilators were present and active. We had 64,000 candidates, 30,000 male and 34,000 female, which shows a strong interest in our unity colleges.
“Nigerians are still eager to have their children in Federal Government Colleges. This turnout shows that parents still value the role of unity schools in national cohesion,” she added.
The minister noted that the numbers underscore continuing public confidence in the unity‑school system.
Also speaking, Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, who accompanied the minister, reported that Lagos State produced the largest cohort with more than 15,000 entries, while only 17 pupils registered from the Republic of Togo.
“We had about 109 candidates from Benin Republic and Togo combined, all Nigerian citizens residing there. This is a truly regional exercise that affirms the reach and reputation of our unity colleges,” he said.
“Materials arrived on time, the exam started as scheduled, and so far, we’ve seen no issues. This smooth process gives us hope that upcoming senior secondary exams, both WAEC and NECO, will follow suit,” he stated.
Wushishi added that candidates with special needs were accommodated through braille scripts and dedicated support staff.
Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulkadir, reiterated that placement into the 110 unity schools would follow merit, state quota and exigency criteria.
“Final admissions will depend on the released results, but we remain committed to a fair and inclusive process,” she noted.
The AUTHORITY reports that the results of the NCEE are expected in the coming weeks, clearing the path for the 2025/2026 academic session.
