The National Examinations Council (NECO) has revealed that 38 schools across 13 states were involved in mass cheating during the 2025 Internal Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
Announcing the release of the results in Abuja, NECO Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed that nine supervisors were recommended for blacklisting for offences including aiding and abetting malpractice, poor supervision, lateness, unruly behaviour, assault, and insubordination. The supervisors involved were from Rivers (3), Niger (1), FCT (3), Kano (1), and Osun (1).
Wushishi noted that 3,878 candidates were caught in various forms of malpractice. He added that the affected schools have been summoned to NECO headquarters for discussions after which sanctions will be applied.
Despite these challenges, the registrar described the 2025 examination as one of the most successful in recent years, with the results released just 54 days after the last paper.
A total of 1,367,210 candidates registered for the exam, while 1,345,339 sat for it. Of this number, 817,492 candidates (60.26%) obtained five credits and above, including Mathematics and English, while 1,144,496 (84.26%) secured five credits and above irrespective of the two core subjects.
He also disclosed that 1,622 candidates with special needs participated, including those with hearing impairment, visual impairment, albinism, autism, low vision, and adermatoglyphia (a rare genetic disorder that causes absence of fingerprints).
Meanwhile, results from eight schools in Lamorde Local Government Area of Adamawa State were withheld due to a communal clash that disrupted the examination. Discussions are ongoing with state authorities to conduct make-up exams for the affected students.
Prof. Wushishi further announced that states owing the council will not have their students’ results released until outstanding debts are cleared. He also disclosed plans to introduce computer-based testing (CBT), beginning with a hybrid of CBT and pen-on-paper for the 2025 external examinations.
Highlighting progress in curbing exam malpractice, he said the number of malpractice cases dropped from 10,094 in 2024 to 3,878 in 2025, representing a 61.58% reduction.
The results can be accessed on the NECO website using candidates’ registration numbers.