More than 80% of private candidates who sat for the 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) have achieved five credits or more, according to the latest results released by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
The Registrar of the council, Professor Dantani Wushishi, announced the results on Tuesday from NECO headquarters in Minna, Niger State. He confirmed that of the 95,160 candidates who sat the exams, 71.6% secured credits in at least five subjects, including the critical requirements of English Language and Mathematics.
However, the positive academic performance was overshadowed by a sharp rise in “examination misconduct,” with over 9,000 candidates caught cheating.
The numbers breakdown
The external examination, which is primarily taken by private candidates looking to improve their grades or those who missed the school-based system, showed a narrow gender gap in participation:
- Total Candidates: 95,160 sat the exam.
- Maths and English: Over 78% passed English, while a staggering 91% secured credits in Mathematics.
- Gender Split: 53% male and 46% female.
Crackdown on ‘Whole-Centre’ cheating
Despite the high success rate, Professor Wushishi revealed that malpractice cases have jumped by nearly 32% compared to the previous year.
In response, the council has recommended blacklisting five supervisors across the FCT, Kano, Adamawa, and Ondo states for “aiding and abetting” cheating. More significantly, four entire examination centres in Niger, Yobe, and Kano have been “de-recognised” after being found guilty of systemic, centre-wide malpractice.
[Image: Professor Dantani Wushishi announcing the results in Minna]
Analysis: A bitter-sweet success
On the surface, a 71% pass rate in the “golden five” subjects (including Maths and English) is a win for Nigerian private students. It suggests that more young people are finding their way into tertiary education through the second-chance system.
However, the 31.7% spike in malpractice is a red flag for the council. The fact that entire centres are being shut down for “whole-centre” cheating suggests that the pressure to pass is driving some institutions to industrial-scale fraud. While NECO’s “name and shame” policy for supervisors is a step toward accountability, the growing sophistication of exam fraud remains a persistent threat to the credibility of Nigerian certifications.
Candidates can now access their results on the official NECO website.
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