Alikali Adejo, Abuja
The Federal Government has released the results of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination, and 10 pupils have emerged as the best overall. Each of them scored 202 out of the possible 210 marks. 
The Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, made the announcement on Thursday during a ministerial briefing in Abuja. She said the NCEE remains the main entry point for pupils seeking admission into Junior Secondary School One across the country’s 83 Federal Unity Colleges.
A total of 60,357 candidates registered for the examination. It was held on June 6, 2026, in Nigeria as well as in the Benin Republic and Togo. Out of that number, 56,950 candidates sat for the test, while 3,407 were absent.
Prof. Ahmad noted that while 10 candidates achieved the highest score of 202, 82 candidates recorded the lowest score in the national examination. The wide gap shows the range of performance this year.
She also released results for the Federal Government Academy in Suleja. For the gifted school test, 2,071 candidates registered. Of them, 1,876 wrote the exam and 195 were absent. The highest score there was 187 out of 210, and the lowest was 4.
On admissions, the minister restated the government’s policy for the Federal Unity Colleges. Placement will continue to follow the approved formula of 60 per cent merit, 30 per cent equality of states, and 10 per cent exigency.
To speed up the process, Prof. Ahmad directed the relevant department in the ministry to conclude admissions quickly and strictly in line with the guidelines. She stressed the need to avoid delays so pupils can resume on time.
The minister added that Federal Unity Colleges remain popular with parents because of their focus on national unity and academic excellence. She assured families that government will keep investing in infrastructure, students’ welfare, quality feeding, and teacher development to raise standards in the colleges.
