The National Examinations Council (NECO) successfully conducted the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination on Saturday, June 6, 2026, opening the doors for primary school pupils seeking admission into Federal Government Colleges (Unity Schools) across Nigeria.

Following a national monitoring exercise, NECO Registrar Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi and the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, briefed journalists in Abuja on the rollout, statistics, and standout trends of this year’s exercise.

📊 The 2026 Numbers at a Glance

While the exam went smoothly nationwide, the data revealed a few interesting shifts in registration numbers and demographics.

  • Total Turnout: 58,187 candidates sat for the exam nationwide.

  • The Dip: This marks a noticeable decrease from 2025, which saw 64,578 candidates register.

  • The Highest State: Lagos State crushed the charts with a staggering 13,228 registrations.

  • The Lowest State: Taraba State recorded the lowest turnout in the country, with just 15 candidates registered.

👩‍🎓 Girl-Child Education Wins Big

In a major milestone for educational advocacy in Nigeria, female candidates officially outnumbered males in the 2026 exam.

  • Female Registrations: Over 31,000

  • Male Registrations: About 26,000

Reacting to the development, Prof. Wushishi stated:

"I think this reflects the efforts of the ministry in promoting girl-child education and shows that positive results are being achieved in that regard."

Minister Expresses Satisfaction, But Raises Concerns Over Absenteeism

Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad expressed immense satisfaction with the overall organization, noting that exams started right on schedule and centers strictly adhered to the required student age brackets. The monitoring team evaluated facilities at major Abuja schools, including Model Secondary School, Maitama, and Federal Government Boys’ College, Garki.

However, the Minister raised a red flag regarding absenteeism.

In one of the exam halls visited, 18 registered candidates failed to show up. Minister Ahmad emphasized that the Ministry needs to investigate why these students missed out to ensure underlying socio-economic or logistical challenges are addressed for future candidates.