Kano State has emerged as the leading state in the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, with 74,413 candidates obtaining at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
Lagos State followed with 72,496 candidates, while Oyo State came third with 55,543 candidates who met the same five-credit benchmark.
The result means Kano has recorded the highest number of candidates meeting the benchmark for the second consecutive year, after also leading the state performance chart in the 2025 NECO examination.
NECO Registrar, Professor Dantani Wushishi, announced the 2026 results during a press briefing in Minna, Niger State.
Overall, 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,371,992 candidates sat for the examination conducted between June 15 and July 23, 2026.
According to NECO, 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
Kano Government Reacts
Reacting to the development, Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf, through his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, congratulated students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders for the performance.
The governor attributed the result to what he described as sustained investment in the state's education sector.
“Kano has maintained the first position in NECO twice in a row, making the state the leading SSCE performer for the two consecutive years, 2025 and 2026 respectively,” Yusuf said.
He assured residents that his administration would continue to prioritise education through increased funding, improved learning facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships and support for indigent students.
Kano Spent Over ₦4.4 Billion On NECO Sponsorship
Yusuf disclosed that the Kano State Government spent more than ₦4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, particularly students from indigent backgrounds.
He said the intervention was aimed at reducing financial barriers and allowing more students to participate in the examination.
The governor also listed classroom renovations, recruitment of teachers, provision of learning materials and uniforms, scholarships and other education-related interventions among the measures being implemented by the state government.
According to him, education received about 29.95 per cent of Kano's 2024 budget, while the sector received ₦168.35 billion, representing 31 per cent, in the 2025 budget.
For 2026, the state allocated ₦405.35 billion to education, representing about 30 per cent of the state's ₦1.478 trillion budget, according to the governor's statement.
South-West Records Highest Regional Share
Although Kano led the state-level ranking based on candidates who obtained five credits including English and Mathematics, the South-West recorded the highest proportion at the geopolitical-zone level when candidates who obtained five credits and above irrespective of their performance in English and Mathematics were considered.
The South-West accounted for 24.60 per cent, followed by the North-West with 22.10 per cent, North-Central with 19.00 per cent, North-East with 14.70 per cent, South-South with 10.53 per cent and South-East with 9.07 per cent.
The latest NECO results provide a state-by-state picture of candidate performance in the 2026 SSCE and show Kano's continued presence at the top of the state ranking based on the specified five-credit benchmark.
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