Kano State has emerged as the best-performing state in the 2026 National Examination Council (NECO) performance chart. A total of 74,413 candidates from the state obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics. This achievement marks the second consecutive year Kano has topped the NECO national performance chart. The state's success is attributed to its sustained investment in education.
Lagos State came second in the performance chart with 72,496 candidates, while Oyo State ranked third with 55,543 candidates. Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf congratulated the students, teachers, parents, and other stakeholders for their performance. He stated that the back-to-back results showed that the state's sustained investment in education was yielding measurable results.
Governor Yusuf commended teachers and parents for their contributions to the state's success and urged stakeholders to sustain their efforts to improve educational standards. He assured that his administration would continue to prioritize education through increased funding, improved learning facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships, and support for indigent students.
The Kano State government spent over N4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, particularly indigent students. Governor Yusuf stated that the latest NECO result was a continuation of the improvement recorded by Kano students under the present administration.
Education stakeholders in Kano State have attributed the state's strong performance in the NECO examination to sustained government investment in education. A former president of the All Nigeria Confederation of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPPS), Bashir Baffa, and the state School-Based Management Committee (SBMC) Chairman, Tijjani Haladu Baraya, called for targeted teacher recruitment and continued investment in learning facilities.
Baffa and Baraya urged parents and communities to complement government efforts by sending their children to school and protecting school infrastructure. They also stressed the importance of continuous capacity building for teachers, saying professional development was critical to improving the quality of teaching and sustaining learning outcomes.
The stakeholders' suggestions come as the Kano State government continues to prioritize education. With the state's success in the NECO examination, it is clear that the government's investment in education is paying off. The government has consistently funded education-related requests, including examination registration for students, and has also intervened in examination fees for over 151,000 students.
Key points
- Kano State tops 2026 NECO performance chart with 74,413 candidates obtaining at least five credits
- The state's success is attributed to sustained government investment in education
- Stakeholders call for targeted teacher recruitment and continued investment in learning facilities
