The federal government has released the results of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE); 10 candidates emerged as the highest scorers, each recording 202 out of the maximum obtainable 210 marks.

The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, announced the results during a ministerial briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

Ms Ahmad said the examination remained the gateway for admission into junior secondary school one (JSS1) in the nation’s 83 federal unity colleges.

She said 60,357 candidates registered for the examination conducted on June 6, 2026, in Nigeria, the Republic of Benin and Togo.

According to her, 56,950 candidates sat for the examination, while 3,407 were absent.

The minister disclosed that while 10 candidates scored the highest mark of 202, 82 candidates recorded the lowest score of one.

She also announced the results of the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, revealing that 2,071 candidates registered, 1,876 sat for the examination, while 195 were absent.

Ms Ahmad said the highest score recorded in the gifted school examination was 187 out of 210, while the lowest score was four.

The minister reaffirmed that admission into federal unity colleges would continue to be based on the established criteria of 60 per cent merit, 30 per cent equality of states and 10 per cent exigency.

She directed the relevant department within the ministry to ensure the admission process was concluded promptly, in line with the approved guidelines.

Ms Ahmad said the federal unity colleges had remained the preferred choice for many Nigerian parents because of their role in promoting national unity and academic excellence.

She assured parents that the federal government would continue investing in infrastructure, students’ welfare, quality feeding and teacher development to improve teaching and learning in the colleges.

Responding to journalists’ questions, the minister explained that the NCEE is open to Nigerian children aged 10 to 12.

She added that the examination was conducted across the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), while outstanding candidates would be considered for admission into the Federal Government Academy, Suleja, the country’s only gifted school.

(NAN)