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..Lagos records 72,496 candidates while Oyo places third with 55,543 as Kano leads the national state-by-state figures for the second consecutive year.
Kano State has emerged as the state with the highest number of candidates who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination conducted by the National Examinations Council.
According to figures released by NECO, 74,413 candidates from Kano met the five-credit benchmark, placing the state ahead of Lagos and Oyo. Lagos recorded 72,496 candidates, while Oyo came third with 55,543 candidates.
The result means Kano has recorded the highest number of candidates meeting the specified benchmark for two consecutive years, following its performance in the 2025 NECO examination.
The figures are based on the number of candidates who obtained five credits and above with credits in both English Language and Mathematics. They should not be interpreted as a ranking based on the percentage of candidates who passed, since the figures reflect the number of candidates meeting the benchmark in each state.
Kano Records Back-To-Back Lead
The latest performance continues Kano’s position at the top of the NECO state-level table for this particular performance category.
The 2026 examination results were announced by NECO Registrar and Chief Executive, Professor Dantani Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State.
At the national level, 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, while 1,371,992 eventually sat for the papers conducted between June 15 and July 23, 2026.
NECO reported that 804,948 candidates, representing 58.67 per cent of those who sat for the examination, obtained at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics.
When the English Language and Mathematics requirement was excluded, 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits and above.
The distinction is important because the state figures for Kano, Lagos and Oyo refer specifically to candidates who secured five credits including the two subjects.
Lagos And Oyo Follow
Lagos State recorded 72,496 candidates who met the five-credit requirement including English Language and Mathematics.
Oyo State followed with 55,543 candidates.
The three states therefore accounted for the highest numbers under the specific NECO benchmark used for the state-level comparison.
The figures were contained in NECO’s breakdown of the 2026 examination performance.
At the geopolitical-zone level, however, the picture was different when performance was measured by the proportion of candidates obtaining five credits irrespective of their results in English Language and Mathematics.
The South-West recorded 24.60 per cent, followed by the North-West with 22.10 per cent and North-Central with 19.00 per cent.
The North-East recorded 14.70 per cent, while the South-South and South-East recorded 10.53 per cent and 9.07 per cent respectively.
Kano Government Links Result To Education Investment
Reacting to the result, Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf congratulated students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders involved in the state’s education system.
In a statement issued by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor said the back-to-back performance indicated that the state’s investment in education was producing measurable results.
Yusuf said his administration would continue to prioritise education through funding, improvement of learning facilities, recruitment and training of teachers, scholarships and support for students from indigent backgrounds.
The governor also said the latest result represented a continuation of the improvement recorded among Kano students under his administration.
₦4.4bn Spent On Examination Sponsorship
According to the Kano State Government, more than ₦4.4 billion was spent in 2026 to sponsor candidates sitting for the Senior School Certificate Examination, particularly students from indigent backgrounds.
The intervention was designed to reduce financial barriers that could prevent students from participating in the examination.
The state government said its education interventions extend beyond examination sponsorship to areas including learning facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships and support for students.
Kano’s education budget has also increased in recent years. Figures reported after the 2026 NECO results show that the state allocated ₦168.35 billion to education in its 2025 budget and ₦405.35 billion in 2026.
NECO Records National Improvement In Malpractice
The 2026 examination also recorded a substantial reduction in examination malpractice.
NECO said 1,406 candidates were involved in various forms of malpractice during the 2026 exercise, compared with 3,878 candidates recorded in 2025.
The figure represents a 64.74 per cent reduction, according to the examination council.
The council attributed the reduction to stronger monitoring, improved examination procedures, security measures and collaboration with relevant agencies.
NECO also said the 2026 examination was conducted across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, as well as six foreign countries.
Kano’s Result In Context
Kano’s 2026 performance provides a strong showing in the specific NECO category of candidates obtaining at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics.
However, the result does not by itself establish that Kano had the highest percentage pass rate among all states.
The 74,413 figure represents the absolute number of candidates who met the benchmark, meaning state population, number of candidates and participation levels also influence the total.
NECO’s national figures provide a broader picture: 58.67 per cent of candidates who sat for the examination obtained at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics, while 84.70 per cent achieved five credits when performance in those two subjects was not used as part of the requirement.
For Kano, the latest figures nonetheless mark a second consecutive year at the top of the state-level table for the specified five-credit benchmark.
Governor Yusuf has pledged that his administration will sustain its education interventions, including funding, teacher development, infrastructure, scholarships and examination support.
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