Dantani Wushishi, registrar of the National Examination Council (NECO), says more than 35 million candidates have participated in the council’s various examinations over the past 25 years, highlighting the body’s growing role in educational assessment and national development.
Wushishi spoke in Minna, Niger state, on Thursday during the gala and awards night held to commemorate the council’s 25th anniversary.
At the event, Dibu Ojerinde, the pioneer registrar of the council, received NECO’s lifetime achievement award in recognition of his contributions to the establishment and growth of the examination body.
Ojerinde served as NECO’s pioneer registrar from 1999 to 2007.
Speaking on the theme, “Celebrating 25 years of NECO’s excellence in educational assessment,” Wushishi said the council was established on July 10, 1999, after years of public demand for a credible, efficient, and nationally responsive examination body.
According to him, NECO emerged from recommendations made by several government panels and committees between 1977 and 1997, all of which stressed the need for a national examination institution capable of addressing Nigeria’s expanding educational demands.
“Over the last 25 years, our work has touched the lives of almost 35 million Nigerians through various examinations,” he said.
“This reflects the trust reposed in NECO and our unwavering commitment to fairness, credibility, and integrity in examination administration.”
He noted that the silver jubilee celebration provided an opportunity not only to celebrate the council’s achievements but also to reflect on its journey and renew its commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in educational assessment.
Wushishi reaffirmed NECO’s commitment to maintaining high standards in examination administration through the adoption of modern technology, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and investment in human capital and institutional processes.
As part of the anniversary activities, NECO conferred its highest honour, the lifetime achievement award, on Ojerinde, who is also the former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), for his visionary leadership and foundational role in establishing and stabilising the Council during its formative years.
According to the Wushishi, the award is reserved for individuals whose contributions have created lasting institutional legacies and strengthened national assessment standards.
NECO also recognised top-performing schools in its senior school certificate examination (SSCE) internal since inception.
Among the awardees were Dority International Early Learning School, which emerged as the overall best-performing secondary school, Federal Government Academy in second place, and Air Force Comprehensive School in third place.
In the state performance category, Douye Diri was recognised on behalf of Bayelsa state as the state with the highest percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception.
Dapo Abiodun and Monday Okpebholo were also honoured for the performances of Ogun and Edo states, respectively.
Similarly, Babajide Sanwo-Olu was recognised for Lagos State recording the highest number of registered candidates in NECO SSCE Internal examinations since inception, while Uba Sani and Seyi Makinde were honoured for the performances of Kaduna State and Oyo State.
Wushishi thanked staff, partners, governments, schools, and stakeholders for their support over the past 25 years, pledging that NECO would continue to uphold integrity, transparency, and excellence in educational assessment across Nigeria.
