The 2025 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) has commenced across Nigeria, with a total of 1,367,210 candidates participating in the exam. This year marks a historic shift as NECO pilots the use of Computer-Based Testing (CBT) alongside the traditional Paper-Pencil Testing (PPT) format.
According to NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, who made the disclosure during a monitoring visit to SASCON International School, Maitama, Abuja, the candidates comprise 685,551 males and over 681,300 females. Kano State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with over 137,000, while Kebbi State had the lowest, with just above 5,000. The Nigerian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, registered the least number of candidates globally—eight students.
This is the first time NECO is incorporating CBT into its SSCE, following a directive by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, that both NECO and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) should fully adopt CBT by 2026. In the pilot phase, NECO used already established schools in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to test-run the process.
Prof. Wushishi stated that while infrastructure challenges exist, they will not hinder the council’s determination to implement the full transition. He called on state governments to invest in CBT infrastructure in their regions to support the shift. He added that adopting CBT would help curb examination malpractice and improve the credibility and global recognition of NECO certificates.
Dr. Alausa, who accompanied the Registrar during the monitoring, emphasized the need to move WAEC and NECO exams away from being strictly school-based. He suggested a shift toward the JAMB model, where candidates sit for their exams at accredited CBT centres. According to him, this approach would not only improve the quality of the exams but also stimulate economic activity through the expanded use of CBT infrastructure across the country.
He noted that several entrepreneurs have already invested significantly in CBT centres and should be supported to serve not only JAMB but also WAEC and NECO. “This will create jobs and strengthen the technology ecosystem in our country,” he said.
Alausa also announced a phased transition plan, beginning with full CBT for objective sections of NECO and WAEC exams by November 2025. By 2026, both objective and essay sections will be conducted through CBT.
“This is a major reform. We’ve started with a pilot and I’m impressed with the results so far. We are committed to eradicating exam malpractice and restoring the integrity of our national examinations,” Alausa said.
