By Mariam Abeeb
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining affordable national examinations while strengthening integrity, innovation and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s assessment system.
Shettima stated this on Thursday in Abuja during the 25th anniversary celebration of the National Examinations Council (NECO).
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Compliance, Bashir Maidugu, the Vice-President stressed that credible examination systems were critical to building quality human capital and expanding opportunities for Nigerian youths.
According to him, examinations must remain affordable for every Nigerian child, describing education as the bedrock of national development.
“A nation that invests in credible assessment systems invests directly in the quality of its human capital and the future of its society.
“As a government under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, we remain committed to creating an enabling environment for educational institutions to thrive.
“We are also committed to ensuring that Nigerian students compete confidently on the global stage.
“Let us, therefore, continue to inspire our young people to dream boldly, study diligently, embrace integrity and contribute meaningfully to national development,” he said.
Shettima noted that NECO was established 25 years ago with the mandate to provide a standardised, credible and nationally owned examination framework capable of assessing students with fairness, integrity and global relevance.
He added that the establishment of the council strengthened confidence in Nigeria’s education system by ensuring that students’ academic achievements were matched with credible opportunities for advancement.
Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, commended NECO for its contributions to strengthening educational assessment and promoting credibility in Nigeria’s education system over the past 25 years.
Abubakar, represented by former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb. Zubairu Dada, said that beyond examination administration, NECO had influenced education policy and pedagogy through credible data generation.
According to him, this has supported policy decisions, resource allocation and educational planning.
Also speaking, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described NECO’s journey over the past 25 years as pivotal to Nigeria’s educational development.
Alausa noted that the council had strengthened accountability, expanded access to examinations and restored public confidence in national certification.
He said the Federal Government’s planned migration of examinations to Computer-Based Testing (CBT) would enhance transparency through real-time monitoring and improved tracking of candidates’ activities.
According to him, the introduction of digital technology had reduced examination malpractice by 90 per cent in 2026, expressing optimism that the figure would improve further by 2027.
He described the reform as a critical milestone in modernising Nigeria’s assessment system and aligning examinations with global best practices.
“We must explore innovative assessment approaches that reflect 21st-century competencies such as critical thinking, problem-solving and digital literacy, while maintaining rigorous standards.
“We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer-Based Examination scheduled to commence this year.
“This will go a long way in curbing the menace of examination malpractice due to its ability to track and detect suspicious activities and also provide real-time monitoring of candidates,” he said.
Earlier, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, disclosed that the council’s examinations were now conducted in eight countries.
He explained that NECO was established to harmonise national examinations and provide credible, reliable and accessible certification for Nigerian learners.
Wushishi said the council overcame early challenges such as limited public trust, infrastructure deficits and concerns about examination reliability through transparent procedures, strict standards and timely release of results.
He noted that the introduction of online registration and internet-based result checking revolutionised examination administration by improving efficiency, accessibility and public confidence.
According to him, NECO’s adherence to global best practices in assessment design, examination security and data management had earned the council international recognition and wider acceptance of its certificates.
“NECO began as a bold initiative to harmonise and enhance the administration of national examinations.
“In the early days, we faced daunting challenges, including limited public trust, infrastructure gaps and questions about the validity and reliability of our assessments.
“Yet, through steadfast leadership, transparent processes and unwavering commitment to the national interest, we gradually earned the trust of students, parents, schools and stakeholders both nationally and internationally.
“The council laid the foundation of credibility through strict procedures, timely release of results and consistent standards,” he said.
Highlighting recent achievements, Wushishi said the council had expanded its infrastructure, with new offices under construction in 10 states.
He added that NECO had established digital platforms, including the NECO e-Verify system, and developed data analytics facilities to modernise examination services.
The registrar further disclosed that additional zonal directorates and departments had been created to improve staff development, mobility and service delivery nationwide.
