MINNA — The National Examinations Council (NECO) has released the results of the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (Internal), with 58.67 per cent of candidates obtaining five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics. Announcing the results at the council's headquarters in Minna, Niger State, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, said 1,378,048 candidates registered for the examination, made up of 682,352 males and 695,696 females. Of this number, 1,371,992 sat the papers. A total of 804,948 candidates obtained five credits and above including English and Mathematics, while 1,162,118 candidates, representing 84.70 per cent, obtained five credits regardless of the two core subjects. The council recorded a sharp fall in examination malpractice. Cases dropped from 3,878 in 2025 to 1,406 this year, a decline of 64.74 per cent. Wushishi attributed the improvement to better processes and closer monitoring, as well as support from security agencies including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Department of State Services. The examination was conducted from June 15 to July 23, 2026, in all 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory and six foreign countries: Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Niger, Cote d'Ivoire, Togo and Saudi Arabia. Marking took place between August 17 and September 4, and the results were released 63 days after the last paper. Kano State recorded the highest number of candidates with five credits including English and Mathematics, with 74,413, followed by Lagos with 72,496 and Oyo with 55,543. By geopolitical zone, the South West accounted for 24.60 per cent of successful candidates, the North West 22.10 per cent, North Central 19.00 per cent, North East 14.70 per cent, South-South 10.53 per cent and the South East 9.07 per cent. No candidate at the Saudi Arabia and Niger Republic centres met the benchmark of five credits including English and Mathematics. The council also said 1,334 candidates with special needs took part in the examination. Candidates can check their results on the NECO website using their registration numbers.