The National Examinations Council (NECO) has revealed that more than 35 million candidates have participated in its various examinations over the past 25 years.

Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Professor Dantani Wushishi, disclosed this during the Gala and Awards Night held as part of activities marking the Council’s 25th anniversary celebration in Minna.

Speaking on the theme, “Celebrating 25 Years of NECO’s Excellence in Educational Assessment,” Prof. Wushishi said the Council was established on July 10, 1999, following years of public demand for a credible, efficient, and nationally responsive examination body.

According to him, the creation of the examination body was the outcome of recommendations by several government panels and committees between 1977 and 1997, all of which emphasized the need for a national examination institution capable of meeting the growing educational needs of Nigerians.

“Over the last 25 years, our work has touched the lives of almost 35 million Nigerians through various examinations. This reflects the trust reposed in NECO and our unwavering commitment to fairness, credibility, and integrity in examination administration,” he said.

The Registrar noted that the silver jubilee celebration was not only an opportunity to celebrate institutional milestones, but also a moment for reflection, recognition, and renewed commitment to innovation and continuous improvement in educational assessment.

He reaffirmed NECO’s resolve to sustain high standards in examination administration through the adoption of modern technology, stronger stakeholder collaboration, and investments in human capital and institutional processes.

As part of the anniversary celebration, NECO conferred its highest honour, the Lifetime Achievement Award, on Emeritus Professor Dibu Ojerinde, former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and pioneer Registrar of NECO between 1999 and 2007.