NECO 2026: Breakdown of States That Performed Very Low Released
- Candidates' performance in the 2026 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination dropped slightly compared to the previous year
- A state-by-state analysis showed that more than half of Nigeria's 36 states and the FCT fell below the national average pass rate
- Sokoto State recorded the lowest pass rate in the country, while several northern states also featured at the bottom of the rankings
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Performance in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) fell marginally compared to 2025, with a new analysis showing that fewer than half of Nigeria's states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) met the national benchmark.
The analysis, carried out by Premium Times, put the national average pass rate at 60.13 per cent. Only 19 of the country's 36 states and the FCT recorded pass rates above that figure.
Source: Twitter
Sokoto ranks last among all states
Sokoto State came in at the bottom of the table with a pass rate of just 26.82 per cent, making it the weakest-performing state in the entire country. Several other states in the north also recorded figures well below the national average.
Katsina posted a 41.54 per cent pass rate, while Borno came in at 40.34 per cent. Adamawa recorded 37.76 per cent and Akwa Ibom 37.42 per cent. Yobe returned 44.57 per cent, and the FCT, despite being the seat of federal government, managed only 46.18 per cent. Jigawa recorded 48.95 per cent.
Kano records low pass rate despite largest candidate pool
Kano State, which had the highest number of candidates sitting the examination, ranked 31st on the state-by-state table. Out of 162,302 candidates, only 74,413, representing 45.85 per cent, passed with five credits that included English and Mathematics — the standard requirement for further academic progression.
The other states that appeared near the bottom of the rankings include Gombe, which also fell short of the national average alongside the other states listed above.
The results raise fresh concerns about the quality of secondary school education in parts of the country, particularly in states that have consistently struggled to meet national performance thresholds in public examinations.
Least performing states
Gombe Jigawa
FCT-Abuja
Kano
Yobe
Katsina
Borno
Adamawa
Akwa Ibom
Top 3 states in Nigeria with best NECO results
Legit.ng earlier reported that Kano state has ranked first in the 2026 National Examination Council of Nigeria (NECO), with 74,413 candidates that obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
Source: Legit.ng
