The Federal Government has announced the release of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) results, with 10 candidates sharing the highest score of 202 out of a possible 210 marks.
The results were unveiled in Abuja on Thursday by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, after they were officially presented by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
More Than 66,000 Candidates Sat the Examination
According to the minister, a total of 70,357 candidates registered for this year’s entrance examination into Nigeria’s 80 Federal Government Colleges, popularly known as Unity Colleges.
She said 66,950 candidates eventually sat for the examination, while 3,407 candidates were absent.
The examination was conducted on June 6, 2026, in centres across Nigeria as well as in the Republic of Benin and Togo for eligible Nigerian students residing abroad.
Top and Lowest Scores Announced
Prof. Ahmad disclosed that the 10 best-performing candidates each obtained 202 marks, making them the highest scorers in this year’s examination.
At the other end of the performance scale, she said 82 candidates recorded the lowest score of one mark.
She described the National Common Entrance Examination as one of Nigeria’s most competitive entrance tests, serving as the pathway for admission into Junior Secondary School One (JSS1) in Federal Government Colleges.
Results Also Released for Federal Government Academy
The minister also announced the release of results for the entrance examination into the Federal Government Academy, Suleja.
According to her, 2,071 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,876 participated and 195 were absent.
She said the highest score recorded in the examination was 187 marks, representing 89.05 percent of the maximum obtainable score, while the lowest score was four marks.
Admission Formula Remains Unchanged
Prof. Ahmad confirmed that the Federal Government would retain the existing admission policy for Unity Colleges.
She said admissions would continue to be determined using the established formula of:
- 60% merit
- 30% equality of states
- 10% exigency
The minister directed the Senior Secondary Education Department to complete the admission process promptly while ensuring full compliance with the approved guidelines.
Government Reaffirms Commitment to Unity Colleges
Speaking on the future of the schools, Ahmad reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving Federal Government Colleges through continued investment.
She said efforts would focus on upgrading infrastructure, enhancing students’ feeding programmes and improving teacher quality to strengthen learning outcomes.
According to the minister, the continued popularity of Unity Colleges among parents underscores their role in promoting national integration while providing quality secondary education.
Earlier, NECO Registrar Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi formally presented both the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination results and the National Gifted Examination results to the minister for official release.
