64,000 students sit for 2025 common entrance exam into federal colleges

A total of 64,000 pupils from Nigeria, the Benin Republic, and Togo on Saturday sat for the 2025 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) into Federal Government Colleges.

The examination, organized by the National Examinations Council (NECO), was held across various centers.

Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, who monitored the examination at Model Secondary School in Maitama and Government Secondary School in Tudun Wada, Wuse, Abuja, expressed satisfaction with the exercise.

“I’m very happy with the conduct of the exams. They started promptly, students were orderly, and invigilators were present and active throughout.

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We had a total of 64,000 candidates—30,000 boys and 34,000 girls—showing continued strong interest in our unity colleges,” she stated.

Prof. Ahmad noted that the high turnout reflects sustained public trust in the federal unity school system, adding, “This demonstrates that Nigerians still believe in the value of Federal Government Colleges as instruments of national cohesion.”

NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, disclosed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with over 15,000, while the Republic of Togo had the lowest turnout, with only 17 candidates.

“In total, we had 109 candidates from Benin Republic and Togo—all Nigerian citizens residing there.

“This underscores the wide reach and reputation of our unity colleges,” he said.

Prof. Wushishi also confirmed that the examination was conducted smoothly across all centers, with no major incidents or delays.

“Materials arrived on time, exams started as scheduled, and we’ve had no reported issues. This bodes well for upcoming WAEC and NECO senior secondary school examinations,” he added.

He also acknowledged efforts to ensure inclusivity, particularly the participation of children with special needs.

“We provided braille materials and support personnel for students who required them,” he said.

Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulkadir, emphasized that the admission process into the colleges will be guided by merit, state quota, and exigency, with the latter mainly benefiting children of federal civil servants.

“Final placements will be based on the examination results, and we are committed to maintaining a fair and inclusive admission process,” she stated.