Kano leads states in 2026 NECO five-credit performance

Kano State recorded the highest number of candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council, according to figures released by NECO. The figures show that 74,413 Kano candidates obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. Lagos followed with 72,496 candidates, while Oyo recorded 55,543.

The result gives Kano the leading position for a second consecutive year, following the state’s performance in the 2025 NECO examination. The supplied material did not provide the overall number of candidates or a national pass rate. Kano Governor Abba Yusuf congratulated students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

Yusuf said the back-to-back result indicated that the state’s investment in education was producing measurable results. The governor said his administration would continue to prioritise education through increased funding, improved facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships and support for students considered indigent. Yusuf said the state spent more than N4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the Senior School Certificate Examination, particularly those facing financial hardship.

He said the spending also covered classroom renovation, learning materials, uniforms and scholarships. According to the state government, education received N168.35 billion, or 31 per cent, of Kano’s 2025 budget. For 2026, the state allocated N405.35 billion to education, representing about 30 per cent of its N1.48 trillion budget.

The governor dedicated the latest result to students, teachers, parents and residents, while pledging to maintain interventions aimed at improving learning outcomes. His spokesman also said a recent annual school census recorded more than five million schoolchildren in the state.