The Federal Government has proposed fresh dates for major national examinations in 2027. The proposed timetable was agreed upon during a meeting between the Minister of State for Education and representatives of examination bodies and private schools. The meeting, which took place on September 30, 2026, resulted in a communiqué signed by Dr Bukola Dosunmu, Coordinator of the FME-Government Private Sector Working Group.
Under the proposed schedule, the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), administered by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), is expected to take place from March 15 to 25, 2027. The results of the UTME are projected for release within March. This move aims to provide ample time for students to prepare for the examinations and for the examination bodies to process the results.
The National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination is proposed to commence on April 1 and end on May 14, 2027. Similarly, the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is scheduled to run from May 11 to June 18, 2027. The Federal Government said results from both the NECO and WAEC examinations are expected to be released in August 2027.
Other examination bodies, including the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS), are also expected to conduct their examinations between June and July 2027. However, the specific dates for the release of NABTEB and NBAIS results have not yet been communicated.
The proposed examination dates are not yet final and remain subject to confirmation by the respective examination bodies. The Federal Ministry of Education has also introduced a requirement for schools seeking accreditation as examination centres. Accredited examination centres must ensure that at least 75 per cent of their teachers are licensed under the Teachers Registration Number (TRN) system by December 11, 2026.
The ministry will verify compliance with the requirement before uploading the details of qualifying schools to the designated registration portal. Schools that fail to meet the requirement will not be approved to serve as centres for any of the examinations. The ministry has warned that it will enforce this requirement to ensure that only qualified schools serve as examination centres.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Plateau State-based human rights and conflict journalist, Lawrence Zongo, who was reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Army on October 5, 2026. Zongo was arrested after visiting a military medical facility in Jos to see relatives receiving treatment for injuries sustained in an attack. Amnesty International described the reported detention as arbitrary and unlawful.
Key points
- The Federal Government proposes new dates for major national examinations in 2027.
- The proposed examination dates are not yet final and remain subject to confirmation.
- Amnesty International calls for the release of journalist Lawrence Zongo.
