NATIONAL EXAMINATIONS COUNCIL (NECO)

KM 8, BIDA ROAD, MINNA, NIGER STATE.

Email: info@neco.gov.ng Website: www.neco.gov.ng

The National Examinations Council (NECO) is an examination body in Nigeria that conducts the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination. It also provides instant authentication of academic information for admission and employment purposes. NECO aims to ensure quality assessment and contribute to the future of Nigerian children.

To: All States Ministries of Education, FCT Education Secretariat,
All Principals/Commandants.

REGISTRATION GUIDELINES FOR THE 2026 SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (SSCE) INTERNAL

Find below the comprehensive procedures and guidelines for the 2026 SSCE Internal registration. You are requested to painstakingly read through, understand and comply with these registration procedures and guidelines before embarking on the registration exercise. Do not hesitate to ask questions or seek clarification on any aspect of the registration procedure which you may not have clearly understood.

1.0 ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION

Principals/Commandants of schools are hereby informed that only candidates in their final year of Senior School (i.e. SS 3) are eligible for registration. For the avoidance of doubt, the 2026 SSCE Internal is meant for only school-based candidates in Nigeria and overseas. It is not meant for private candidates. Principals/Commandants of schools and States Ministries of Education should therefore endeavour to enforce the eligibility conditions.

2.0 REGISTRATION PROCEDURE

The 2026 SSCE Internal registration will be both OFFLINE and ONLINE.

2.1 ACCESS/CLAIM TO SCHOOL’S ONLINE PORTAL The 2026 SSCE Internal registration requires:

a. existing schools to continue using their login details to access their portal. Schools with login challenges should use the “forget password” or “dispute” option.

b. fresh schools to claim their online portal, using the School’s official email address and phone number (a school without an official email address is mandated to create one, as personal or cybercafé emails are discouraged). The school’s online portal claim will be the first task before the commencement of the offline/online registration. Therefore, Schools are required to input their information correctly, after which a default password to be used to log into the portal will be sent to the official email provided.

2.2 OFFLINE REGISTRATION

Schools are to uninstall the previous offline application and install the 2026 SSCE Internal offline application from NECO’s website: https://neco.gov.ng/exams/ssce-internal. Using the application, Schools are to make all entries of their candidates’ bio-data and ensure candidates passport photographs are captured in their SCHOOL UNIFORMS. The user manual on the step-by-step registration procedure can also be downloaded from the website. Schools should ensure that all prospective candidates are registered offline such that, as they pay, they could be uploaded online progressively. PLEASE NOTE THAT A CANDIDATE IS ONLY REGISTERED IF HIS/HER OFFLINE

ENTRIES ARE UPLOADED ONLINE TO OBTAIN A REGISTRATION NUMBER. THIS ONLINE UPLOAD IS ONLY POSSIBLE UPON PAYMENT OF REGISTRATION FEES.

2.3 CANDIDATES WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Candidates with Special Needs are to be registered like everyone. However, the nature of their specific needs is to be indicated correctly when making entries of their bio-data in the offline application during registration.

Candidates with Special Needs are those afflicted with any of the ailments:
➢ Low Vision

➢ Complete Blindness

➢ Albinism

➢ Hearing Impairment

➢ Autism

2.4 OFFLINE VALIDATION

After successful offline registration, schools are to validate their candidates’ bio-data before uploading registration data online. This validation requires candidates to verify the following:
➢ Name

➢ Passport Photograph

➢ Date of Birth

➢ Gender

➢ Subjects

➢ State of Origin

➢ Local Government Area

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE COUNCIL IS NOT LIABLE FOR ANY REGISTRATION ERROR COMMITTED BY SCHOOLS. SUCH REGISTRATION ERRORS MUST BE CORRECTED DURING THE VALIDATION PROCESS BEFORE UPLOADING THE REGISTRATION DATA ONLINE.

2.4.1 PROCEDURE FOR OFFLINE VALIDATION

Upon completion of the offline registration, schools are to:

a. Print and issue offline photocard to each candidate to confirm his/her details: Passport

Photograph, Name, State of Origin, Local Government Area, Date of Birth, Gender and Subjects.

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b. Where errors are discovered by candidates, corrections should be effected on the offline application.

c. After effecting all corrections, the offline Validation List should be printed for ALL candidates to append their signatures in the column against their respective names.

d. The signed offline Validation List is one of the documents to be returned to the State Office along with other Validation Documents.

NOTE THAT ALL CORRECTIONS MUST BE DONE OFFLINE.

2.5 BIOMETRIC DATA CAPTURING

Biometric Data Capturing is a process by which candidates’ fingerprints (the 10 fingers) are captured during offline registration. It is a vital part of the offline registration because, without it, candidates’ data cannot be uploaded online.

FUTRONIC (FS80H) Fingerprint Scanner Machine should be used for the data capturing.

On the PREVIEW PAGE, during the biometric data capturing, schools are to ensure that candidates still CROSSCHECK their bio-data and other entries for seamless registration:

➢ Name ➢ Subjects

➢ Passport Photograph ➢ State of Origin

➢ Date of Birth ➢ Local Government Area

➢ Gender

Schools should NOTE that:

➢ DUPLICATION OF REGISTRATION WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED since each candidate’s biometric is UNIQUE.

➢ No person(s)/candidate(s) should be allowed to capture their fingerprints on behalf of the rightful candidate(s) as any candidate whose biometric data does not match the data uploaded during the verification exercise will be deemed to be impersonating.

2.6 NON-VALIDATION

Please note that any school that requests for correction of Name, Passport Photograph, Date of Birth, Gender, Subject(s), State of Origin or Local Government Area after online upload is deemed to have indulged in “NON-VALIDATION”. The penalty fee for non-validation is Ten Thousand Naira (N10,000.00) only per candidate, irrespective of the nature of the non-validation. SCHOOLS SHOULD NOTE THAT:

a. CHANGE OF PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH can ONLY be effected before the end of the REGISTRATION PERIOD.

b. Change of both NAME and PASSPORT PHOTOGRAPH will NOT be entertained BUT ONLY

c. Other cases involving Gender, Date of Birth, Subject(s), State, Local Government Area and correction of letter(s) in Name would be entertained before the end of the EXAMINATION.

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using any of the underlisted six (6)
2.7 SCHOOL ACTIVATION FOR PAYMENT

Each School must be activated by their State Coordinator before payment and upload can be possible. Schools are to return the underlisted Validation Documents to their respective State Coordinators, who would thereafter, activate the school for payment:

a. Validation List duly signed by the candidates

b. Candidates’ signed Photocards

c. Entry Schedule duly endorsed by the State Ministry of Education as applicable

d. Subject Analysis

Schools should note that Centre Activation commences on Monday 11th November, 2026.

2.8 PAYMENT PROCEDURE AND UPLOAD

All payments should strictly be made into NECO Treasury Single Account (TSA) on Remita platform via the school’s online NECO portal preferably payment options: Bank Transfer should be avoided.

➢ Card payment ➢ USSD

➢ Bank Branch ➢ Internet Banking

➢ Wallet

➢ eNaira

After payment is made into the NECO TSA and e-Receipt issued by Remita, schools are to go to their transaction page on their online portal and Verify their Payment. This is done by clicking on the “Verify Bank Payment”, entering the Twelve (12) digits Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) number and click on the “verify” button.

Upon successful payment, Registration Quota will be allocated according to the amount paid into the NECO TSA. Schools can select the individual candidates to upload (if the payment is not for all candidates) by either ticking the selection box against each candidate’s name OR ticking the “check all” box to select the entire candidates, if the payment is for all the candidates.

NOTE THAT WHEN PAYING IN INSTALLMENTS, INITIAL PAYMENT SHOULD BE MADE FOR AT LEAST 20 CANDIDATES TO AVOID BEING SURCHARGED FOR UNVIABLE CENTRE FEE.

The RRR e-Receipt(s), Payment Summary(ies) and the signed final Validation List that carries candidates’ registration numbers, endorsed by the School Principal/Commandant, should be submitted immediately to the State Office and NECO receipt(s) collected.

PAYMENT MADE FOR REGISTRATION AFTER THE CLOSURE OF REGISTRATION USING ALREADY GENERATED RRR eINVOICE WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED OR REFUNDED.

THE FINAL PHOTOCARDS THAT BEAR THE CANDIDATES’ REGISTRATION NUMBERS MUST BE IN POSSESSION OF ALL CANDIDATES FOR IDENTIFICATION AND VERIFICATION PURPOSES FOR THE PERIOD OF THE EXAMINATION. It is mandatory that each candidate has a photocard for identification.

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3.0 DETAILS OF REGISTRATION FEES AND OTHER MATERIALS

Details of the Registration fees and other materials are as follows:

a. Registration Fee for the 2026 SSCE Internal is N27,000.00 only per candidate.

b. Photo Album is N2,700.00 per pair.

c. Four-Figure Mathematical Tables is N500.00 per copy.

d. Waterproof Certificate Jacket/Folder is N2,500.00 per candidate.

e. Syllabus is N2,000.00 per copy.

f. Unviable Centre Fee is N70,000.00.

g. Late Registration attracts a Penalty of additional N5,000.00 per candidate.

Note: i. Stamp Duty, Service and Remita charges apply.

ii. The Registration fees, once paid, are non-refundable.

4.0 VIABILITY OF SCHOOLS

A school is deemed viable if the minimum number of candidates to be registered is Twenty (20). Any school registering less than twenty candidates is deemed unviable and, as such, shall pay Unviable Centre Fee of Seventy Thousand Naira (N70,000.00) only, if they wish to take the examination in their school.

5.0 ELECTRONIC PHOTO ALBUMS (E-PHOTO ALBUMS)

Electronic Photo Albums will be generated by the Council. A pair of the e-Photo Album will be endorsed, and a copy sent to each school. Each e-Photo Album has provision for 171 candidates, and it costs Two Thousand Seven Hundred Naira (N2,700) only per pair.

6.0 SYLLABUS AND FOUR-FIGURE MATHEMATICAL TABLES

The syllabus for NECO SSCE is available at the cost of Two Thousand Naira (N2,000.00) only per copy. Each school is advised to have at least four (4) copies. Furthermore, each candidate is to obtain a copy of NECO Four-Figure Mathematical Tables at the cost of Five Hundred Naira (N500.00) only.

7.0 THIRD YEAR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT SCORES (CAS 3)

The period for CAS 3 entries by schools is from 16th June to 25th July, 2026. Schools should ensure that they use the offline application to make entries for CAS 3 and upload within the stipulated period for timely release of results. Schools should ensure that they verify the completed CAS 3 upload of their candidates on their online CAS 3 platform and print the record of upload for reference (certificate of upload) from their schools’ emails. Late CAS 3 upload would attract a penalty fee of Forty Thousand Naira (N40,000) only.

8.0 ONLINE CENTRE DISPUTE

The Online Centre Dispute is the procedure for changing the schools’ official login details for those that cannot access their portal on the NECO website due to one reason or another. All dispute requests should be officially channeled through their respective State Offices. This is to authenticate the request and stop unauthorized parties from gaining access to the school’s portal. However, schools are advised to always keep proper records of their login details.

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9.0 REGISTRATION PERIOD AND CLOSING DATE

a. Registration period is between Monday 11th November, 2026 and Monday 2nd June, 2026.

b. Late registration period is between Tuesday, 3rd June and Tuesday, 10th June, 2026.

c. The website will be closed at 11:59 pm on Tuesday, 10th June, 2026.

d. The last date for the return of the printed RRR Payment Receipt and the online endorsed final Validation List is Tuesday, 10th June, 2026.

10.0 PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT DATES AGAIN

a. Commencement of registration by schools is Monday 11th November, 2026.

b. Last date for normal registration by schools is Monday 2nd June, 2026.

c. Last date for late registration by schools is Tuesday, 10th June, 2026.

d. Last date for submission of printed RRR Payment Receipt and the online endorsed final Validation List is Tuesday, 10th June, 2026.

e. Last date for uploading CAS 3 online is Friday 25th July, 2026.

11.0 MAJOR IMPORTANT HIGHLIGHTS

a. A candidate is only registered if his/her offline entries are uploaded online to obtain a Registration Number. This online upload is only possible upon payment of Registration Fees.

b. The Council is not liable for any registration error committed by schools. Such registration errors must be corrected during the validation process before uploading the registration data online.
c. Duplication of registration will not be entertained since each candidate’s biometric is unique.

d. Change of passport photograph can only be effected before the end of the registration period.

e. When paying in installments, initial payment should be made for at least 20 candidates to avoid being surcharged for unviable centre fee.

f. Payment made for registration after the closure of registration using already generated RRR e-invoice(s) will not be entertained or refunded.

g. It is mandatory that each candidate has a photocard for identification.

h. Late registration period is between Tuesday, 3rd June and Tuesday, 10th June, 2026 and attracts a Penalty of additional N5,000.00 per candidate.

i. Schools should print their certificate of upload for CAS 3 from their email address.

For further enquiries contact your State Coordinator or NECO Support Emails and Helplines: (info@neco.gov.ng, support@neco.gov.ng); 08027597699, 09032224473, 08069232760, 08189342653, 08189342754.

Thank you.

The Comprehensive Guide to the NECO Results Portal: How to Check, Verify, and Print Your Grades

For secondary school school leavers and private candidates across Nigeria, checking national exam performance is a major milestone. The National Examinations Council (NECO) has made transitioning from secondary education to a tertiary institution smoother by moving all its grading infrastructure online.

Whether you sat for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE Internal or External), the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), or the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE), your data resides on the official portal.

This detailed guide breaks down everything you need to know about the official NECO results portal, how to buy tokens, step-by-step checking procedures, and how to troubleshoot common technical snags.

Important Update: Scratch Cards are Extinct

Before attempting to access your grades, you must know that physical paper scratch cards have been completely phased out.

Instead, NECO uses a digital Token System. A token is a unique 12-digit PIN generated directly through the portal after making an online transaction. If a roadside merchant tries to sell you an old physical scratch card for your current results, do not buy it — it will not work.

Portal Fee Structure

How to Buy a NECO Result Token Online

To access your details, you first need to generate your 12-digit checking code.

Step-by-Step: Checking Your NECO Result

Once you have your 12-digit code saved or copied to your clipboard, checking your scores takes less than two minutes:

1. Return to the homepage of the NECO Results Portal.

2. Select your Examination Year (e.g., 2026).

3. Select your Examination Type (e.g., SSCE INTERNAL for school-based candidates, SSCE EXTERNAL for GCE candidates).

4. Enter your unique 12-digit Token Number.

5. Carefully type your Registration Number (including the alphabetic suffix, ensuring there are no spaces).

6. Click the green “Check Result” button. Your full statement of grades will render immediately on your screen.

Strategic Academic Alignments

Checking your grades is only the first step. If you managed to clear all core parameters, your immediate next move is ensuring your scores line up across other regulatory setups.

Uploading to JAMB CAPS

For students aiming for university admissions, remember that higher institutions cannot offer you a slot if your O’Level data is missing from your central admissions profile. Once your grades clear the portal, you need to head over to an approved CBT center to attach them to your profile. Review this walkthrough on how to navigate JAMB portal structures successfully to keep your admissions process moving forward.

Managing International Study Visas

If you intend to use your newly printed statement of results to apply to international universities, you must prepare for strict documentation standards. Foreign embassies usually require an apostilled copy or an automated verification sheet directly from the council. To plan your next international moves without paperwork issues, read this critical guide on processing student visas smoothly beforehand.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

• “Invalid Token” Message: Carefully cross-check your 12-digit code. Do not include spaces or dashes. Note that a single token can typically only be used for one unique registration number up to 5 times.

• Portal Rendering Blank Page: This usually happens during peak hours when millions of candidates hit the server at once. Switch to an alternative browser or check during off-peak hours (late nights or early mornings).

• Missing Subject Grades: If you see “No Result” or a specific subject column is blank, it may be due to an unresolved continuous assessment score (CAS) from your secondary school. Contact your school’s examination officer immediately.

Final Reminder: Always use the print utility button located at the bottom of your displayed result page to download a clean PDF copy. Save this document securely on your personal Google Drive or external storage for future employment or academic reference.

For a visual walkthrough of navigating the dashboard, check out this practical NECO Portal Tutorial Video which demonstrates how to correctly inputs your registration number and token.