By Jane Salihu
Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to maintaining affordable national examinations while accelerating reforms aimed at strengthening credibility, innovation and global competitiveness in Nigeria’s education assessment system.
Shettima gave the assurance in Abuja during the Silver Jubilee celebration of the National Examinations Council, where the Federal Government also unveiled a major transition to Computer-Based Examinations (CBE) as part of efforts to eliminate examination malpractice and modernise national assessment processes.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Legal and Compliance, Bashir Maidugu, the Vice President described credible examination systems as critical pillars for building quality human capital and expanding opportunities for Nigerian youths.
According to him, NECO must continue to remain accessible and affordable to ordinary Nigerians while upholding integrity and international standards.
“Education remains the bedrock of national development. A nation that invests in credible assessment systems investigation directly in the quality of its human capital and the future of its society,” Shettima stated.
He added that the administration of President Bola Tinubu remains committed to creating an enabling environment for educational institutions to thrive and for Nigerian students to compete confidently on the global stage.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Education Tunji Alausa announced that NECO would fully deploy Computer-Based Examinations as part of sweeping reforms designed to drastically reduce examination malpractice.
He declared that the government was targeting zero examination malpractice by 2027 through the adoption of technology-driven examination systems capable of real-time monitoring and detection of suspicious activities.
According to Alausa, the reform marks a critical milestone in aligning Nigeria’s assessment system with global best practices, describing NECO as a “standard-bearer for credible external examinations” that has strengthened integrity, fairness and accountability in the education sector.
In his opening remarks, the Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Dantani Wushishi, reflected on the council’s 25-year journey from difficult beginnings marked by public distrust and infrastructure deficits to becoming an internationally recognised examination body.
Wushishi said NECO gradually earned public confidence through transparent procedures, timely release of results and strict adherence to examination standards, adding that its certificates are now recognised internationally, with examinations currently conducted in eight countries.
He highlighted major reforms undertaken by the council, including online registration, internet-based result release, digital verification systems, e-certificates, data analytics platforms and the construction of offices in 10 states to strengthen service delivery nationwide.
Former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, represented by former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Zubairu Dada, commended NECO for strengthening educational assessment and influencing education policy through credible data generation.
He expressed confidence that the migration to computer-based examinations would significantly reduce malpractice through real-time monitoring and improved tracking of candidates’ activities.
According to him, the reform represents an important milestone in modernising Nigeria’s examination system and aligning assessments with global standards.
Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, called for urgent reforms to strengthen the integrity, credibility and innovation of Nigeria’s national assessment system.
Abbas warned that weak examination structures could undermine merit, public trust and national development, describing assessment institutions as critical governance tools that shape opportunities and demonstrate competence.
He commended NECO for expanding access to certification for millions of Nigerians while reinforcing national ownership of examinations over the past 25 years.
Meanwhile, renowned educationist Pai Obanya stressed the need for examination bodies to adopt collaborative and innovative assessment approaches that give equal attention to cognitive and non-cognitive skills.
Obanya called for stronger collaboration among examination bodies to improve assessment systems and adapt to the changing demands of modern education.
The Silver Jubilee celebration also featured the unveiling of a commemorative book titled “Twenty-Five Years of NECO: Evolution, Challenges and Contributions to Nigeria’s Educational Assessment System,” documenting the council’s history, reforms and contributions to national education development
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