More than 1.3 million secondary school students across Nigeria are currently sitting for the 2025 NECO Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), with the exam body introducing Computer-Based Testing (CBT) for the first time in selected centres.

According to the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, a total of 1,367,210 candidates registered for this year’s exam—the highest number ever recorded. The breakdown shows 685,551 males and over 681,300 females participating in the exams.

Kano State leads with over 137,000 registered students, while Kebbi State recorded the lowest turnout, just above 5,000 candidates.

 Interestingly, the Nigerian International School in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, had the least number of registered students—just eight.

The exams are being conducted in a dual format: the traditional paper-and-pencil method and the new CBT mode, which is being piloted at select centres, including SASCON International School in Abuja.

This marks the beginning of a major shift in Nigeria’s exam system. Following a directive by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, both NECO and WAEC are expected to fully transition to CBT by 2026.

Prof. Wushishi stated that NECO is ready for the change, even though infrastructure challenges remain in some areas. He called on state governments to invest in CBT infrastructure to support the transition.

“We believe CBT will help reduce exam malpractice and improve the quality and global recognition of our exams and certificates,” he said.

This year's development signals a big step forward for Nigeria’s education system, aiming to modernize testing while ensuring accessibility for students in all parts of the country.