No fewer than 64,000 candidates from Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo participated in the 2025 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for admission into Federal Government Colleges, conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the examination after monitoring the exercise at Model Secondary School, Maitama, and Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada.
"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," she said.
Strong Public Trust in Unity Schools
The minister emphasized that the impressive turnout reflects continued public trust in the unity school system. "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.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, confirmed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with over 15,000, while the Republic of Togo had the lowest with just 17 candidates.
"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.
Smooth Examination Process
Wushishi noted that no challenges were reported during the conduct of the exam. "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.
The NECO boss also acknowledged the inclusion of children with special needs, assuring that accommodations like braille materials and support personnel were provided to ensure equal participation.
Admission Criteria
Binta Abdulkadir, Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, explained that admissions into unity schools will be based on three key factors: merit, state quota, and exigency—the latter primarily catering to children of civil servants.
"Final admissions will depend on the released results, but we remain committed to a fair and inclusive process," she noted.
The gender distribution of candidates—30,000 male and 34,000 female—also indicates growing female participation in seeking quality education through the unity school system.
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