For an institution once dismissed in some quarters as an unnecessary experiment, the National Examinations Council (NECO) has, over the past 25 years, evolved into one of Africa’s largest, most credible and technologically driven examination bodies, FELIX KHANOBA writes.
The National Examinations Council and key stakeholders in Nigeria’s education sector recently celebrated the institution’s silver jubilee, marking a journey that has seen the council emerge as a major player in educational assessment across the continent.
Established in April 1999, NECO was created at a time when Nigeria’s examination system depended largely on a single regional body, the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).
At the time, advocates for the new body argued that Nigeria’s huge student population and distinct curriculum demands required a national examination institution capable of responding more directly to local realities. Twenty-five years later, NECO’s growth has become difficult to ignore.
From recording fewer than 900,000 candidates during its maiden Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) in 2000, the council now assesses over 1.2 million candidates annually, with cumulative participation exceeding 24 million students. Its examinations are conducted across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as in nine foreign countries, including the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.
What started as a national intervention has gradually transformed into a continental assessment institution.
Beyond the SSCE for internal and external candidates, NECO also conducts the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) for Junior Secondary School students and the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for pupils seeking admission into unity schools.
Speaking during event organised to commemorate NECO’s 25th anniversary, the Registrar and Chief Executive, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed that more than 35 million candidates had participated in the council’s examinations over the past two and a half decades.
“Over the last 25 years, our work has touched the lives of almost 35 million Nigerians through various examinations. This reflects the trust reposed in NECO and our unwavering commitment to fairness, credibility, and integrity in examination administration,” he said.
The achievement drew commendation from the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who praised the council’s growing deployment of technology in examination administration.
According to the minister, NECO is already leading the country’s transition toward Computer-Based Examinations, with implementation expected to commence this year.
“We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer-Based Examination, which is to commence this year. Hopefully, by 2027, both NECO and its sister examination body, WAEC, will be conducting all senior secondary school examinations via Computer-Based Testing,” the minister said during the anniversary celebration in Abuja.
Alausa also applauded NECO’s contributions to Nigeria’s education system, describing the council as a critical institution that has continued to provide credible and accessible examinations.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, who also spoke at the event in Abuja, described NECO as one of Africa’s leading examination bodies.
He noted that the institution was established to provide a credible, nationally owned assessment platform capable of evaluating students fairly and transparently.
Represented by Barrister Bashir Maidugu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Legal and Compliance Matters, the Vice President urged the council to sustain innovation and maintain global standards in examination administration.
Reflecting on NECO’s evolution from a single examination agency into a major national assessment institution serving both public and private schools, Shettima said the council’s investments in staff development, capacity building and modern assessment techniques had significantly strengthened its efficiency and credibility.
“Today, as we commemorate this remarkable 25-year journey, we are proud to say that NECO stands proudly as one of Africa’s foremost examination bodies, continually refining its processes, expanding strategic partnerships, and upholding the highest standards of integrity in the conduct of examinations,” he said.
Perhaps one of NECO’s most significant contributions to Nigeria’s education sector has been its role in breaking what many viewed as WAEC’s long-standing monopoly over secondary school examinations.
Before NECO’s establishment, Nigerian students relied almost entirely on WAEC for certification. The introduction of NECO’s SSCE for internal and external candidates, alongside the BECE and NCEE, introduced healthy competition into the nation’s assessment landscape.
The council also widened access by increasing the number of accredited examination centres, particularly in rural communities where students previously travelled long distances to sit examinations. It further harmonised examination timetables with WAEC, enabling candidates to participate in both examinations within the same academic year.
That development significantly expanded opportunities for students seeking multiple certification options.
Affordability has also remained a major issue for many Nigerian families grappling with economic pressures, and NECO says keeping examination fees within reach became one of its core mandates.
Between 2018 and 2022, the Governing Board chaired by Dr Abubakar Siddique Mohammed reversed plans to increase examination fees and instead approved reductions.
Under the review, the SSCE fee was reduced from N11,350 to N9,850, while the BECE fee dropped from N5,500 to N4,500.
The council described the move as “a landmark achievement unprecedented in the history of examination administration in Nigeria.”
Officials explained that the reductions followed a comprehensive review of procurement procedures and operational costs aimed at eliminating financial leakages.
Despite its successes, NECO’s journey has not been without challenges.
One of its most difficult periods came between 2018 and 2022 when allegations of procurement violations triggered sweeping institutional reforms.
To strengthen oversight and accountability, the council established new departments, including ICT, Internal Audit and Procurement, while also inaugurating an Anti-Corruption and Transparency Monitoring Unit (ACTU).
NECO equally aligned its financial operations with the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy as part of efforts to improve transparency and accountability.
Insiders say the reforms helped restore public confidence in the institution.
Like many examination bodies in Nigeria, NECO has also had to contend with the persistent challenge of examination malpractice.
Over the years, the council introduced more sophisticated security measures to curb cheating and impersonation. These include biometric candidate verification, tamper-proof envelopes with verification barcodes, and technology-driven monitoring systems designed to safeguard examination integrity.
The council also established a high-security printing press in Minna, while examination materials are now distributed through a GPS-tracked logistics network supported by security agencies such as the Nigeria Police, DSS, NSCDC and the Nigerian Army.
NECO also intensified its crackdown on so-called “miracle centres” notorious for organised examination malpractice.
The measures appear to be yielding results. According to NECO records, malpractice cases declined from 13,594 in 2022 to 12,030 in 2023 among more than 1.1 million SSCE candidates.
The introduction of the e-Verify platform further boosted confidence in the system by allowing institutions and employers to authenticate results online.
Digital Transformation at the Core
Perhaps nowhere has NECO’s transformation been more visible than in its embrace of technology.
Over the last two decades, the council has shifted from largely paper-based operations to an integrated digital system covering registration, examination management, result processing and verification.
Its flagship digital platform, the NECO Examinations Management Information System (NEMIS), now coordinates nearly every aspect of examination administration, from candidate registration and centre allocation to scoring workflows and result release.
The council has also introduced Computer-Based Testing for selected subjects, biometric verification systems, digital certificates and mobile applications for candidate services.
For many education analysts, the reforms represent one of the most significant institutional transformations within Nigeria’s assessment sector.
Expanding Beyond Nigeria
Although originally established to serve Nigerian students, NECO’s reach has steadily expanded beyond the country’s borders.
Today, the council conducts examinations in countries including Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Gabon, Togo, Burkina Faso, Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom.
Its certificates are increasingly gaining international recognition, with verification requests coming from institutions in Canada, the United States, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
NECO is also a member of the International Association for Educational Assessment (IAEA) and the Association for Educational Assessment in Africa (AEAA), strengthening its growing global profile.
Vision Beyond the Silver Jubilee
As the council marks its 25th anniversary, NECO says its next phase will focus on global relevance, artificial intelligence and digital-first assessment systems.
Registrar Prof. Wushishi described the vision as building “a future-ready, technology-driven, globally respected examination body.”
According to him, “By 2050, NECO must stand as more than a national institution — it must become a continental reference point for excellence in educational assessment.”
He added that credibility, innovation, accessibility, global alignment and human capital development would remain the pillars of the council’s long-term strategy.
NECO says the future of examination administration will involve expanded deployment of Computer-Based Testing, blockchain-backed certification, AI-driven assessment systems, biometric security and real-time result verification platforms.
Prof. Wushishi said: “The future of assessment is undeniably digital.”
He further noted that Artificial Intelligence would increasingly shape automated marking systems, adaptive testing and malpractice detection, while maintaining that ethical issues such as fairness, transparency and data privacy would remain priorities.
A Story of Survival and Reinvention
When NECO was established in 1999, critics questioned whether Nigeria truly needed another examination body.
Twenty-five years later, the institution has weathered political transitions, governance challenges, logistical pressures and the persistent threat of examination malpractice.
Yet, it has continued to grow.
From assessing millions of candidates to building digital infrastructure and expanding its operations beyond Nigeria’s borders, NECO has steadily positioned itself as a central pillar of the country’s educational architecture.
Its story remains one of institutional survival, reform and adaptation in a country where public institutions are frequently tested by instability and public distrust.
And as Nigeria’s student population continues to rise, NECO’s next challenge may not simply be preserving credibility, but redefining how educational assessment itself is conducted in an increasingly digital world.
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