NECO Registrar Reveals Exam Body Now Operates in Eight Countries (2026 Update)

Dantani Wushishi, registrar of the National Examinations Council (NECO), has disclosed that the body now conducts examinations in eight countries outside Nigeria.

Wushishi made this known in Abuja during the council's 25th anniversary celebration, where he reflected on over two decades of growth, turbulence, and transformation.

NECO was established in April 1999 by the military administration of Abdulsalami Abubakar. A month later, Olusegun Obasanjo was sworn in as Nigeria's first civilian president after years of military rule, and it was under that democratic dawn that the examination body found its footing.

The registrar described the expansion into eight countries as evidence of increasing international acceptance of NECO certificates, saying the council had overcome early challenges, including public scepticism, infrastructure limitations, and credibility concerns, to emerge as a globally recognised examination institution.

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Those countries include Benin Republic, Togo, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.

"Today, NECO is recognised on international platforms as a credible examination body contributing to educational integrity and mobility," Wushishi stated. "This explains why we are currently conducting examinations in eight countries and still counting."

To consolidate those gains and push further into the digital age, the council has rolled out a suite of reforms, including digital verification systems, e-certificates, e-library services, and data analytics platforms. Infrastructure is also being expanded, with NECO constructing offices in 10 states and widening its zonal directorates to improve service delivery nationwide.

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Perhaps the most headline-grabbing announcement of the anniversary came from the Federal Government. Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa disclosed that NECO would begin conducting computer-based examinations in 2026 as part of a broader effort to tackle examination malpractice and modernise the country's assessment architecture.

"We are at the threshold of a very important reform, which NECO is spearheading, and that is the Computer-Based Examination, which is to commence this year," the minister said.

The CBT system will allow real-time monitoring of candidates, reduce human interference, limit question leakages, and detect suspicious activities during examinations, addressing a problem that has long plagued public examinations across the country.

Looking ahead, NECO says it will continue to strengthen anti-malpractice measures, expand digital services, and deepen collaborations with international examination bodies.

From a fledgling institution that once struggled for legitimacy on home soil, NECO has come a long way. Eight countries and counting.