No fewer than 64,000 candidates from Nigeria, Benin Republic, and Togo have participated in the 2025 National Common Entrance Examination, NCEE, for admission into Federal Government Colleges, conducted by the National Examinations Council, NECO.

Speaking after monitoring the exercise at Model Secondary School, Maitama, and Government Secondary School, Tudun Wada, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, expressed satisfaction with the smooth conduct of the examination.

“I’m very happy with the way the exams have been conducted. They started on time, students were orderly, and invigilators were present and active. We had 64,000 candidates, 30,000 male and 34,000 female, which shows a strong interest in our unity colleges,” she said.

The minister emphasized that the turnout reflects continued public trust in the unity school system.

“Nigerians are still eager to have their children in Federal Government Colleges. This turnout shows that parents still value the role of unity schools in national cohesion,” she added.

On his part, the NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Wushishi, confirmed that Lagos State recorded the highest number of registered candidates with over 15,000, while the Republic of Togo had the lowest with 17 candidates.

“We had about 109 candidates from Benin Republic and Togo combined, all Nigerian citizens residing there. This is a truly regional exercise that affirms the reach and reputation of our unity colleges,” he said.

Wushishi noted that no challenges were reported during the conduct of the exam.

“Materials arrived on time, the exam started as scheduled, and so far, we’ve seen no issues. This smooth process gives us hope that upcoming senior secondary exams, both WAEC and NECO, will follow suit,” he stated.

The NECO boss also acknowledged the inclusion of children with special needs, assuring that accommodations like braille materials and support personnel were provided.

On her part, the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Binta Abdulkadir, said admissions into unity schools will be based on merit, state quota, and exigency, the latter catering largely to children of civil servants.

“Final admissions will depend on the released results, but we remain committed to a fair and inclusive process,” she noted.

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‎On June 6, 2025, Peter Obi, a notable Nigerian politician, drew attention to the distressing situation of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK) staff in Awka, who have gone unpaid for five years.
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‎In a post on X at 4:30 PM WAT, Obi shared insights from his meeting with the affected teaching and non-teaching staff, describing their experiences as “shocking and heartbreaking.
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‎” These employees, hired between 2019 and 2020, have been excluded from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), a federal payroll platform, resulting in non-payment of their salaries.”
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‎He state the affected staff told him that they have written multiple petitions and appeals, both within Nigeria and international bodies but their situation has remained unchanged.
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‎He called on the Federal Government to urgently enroll the staff on IPPIS and settle all outstanding salary arrears, framing the situation as both a humanitarian and moral concern. Obi stressed that neglecting educators jeopardizes the nation’s future and that the dignity of Nigerian workers must be upheld.
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‎Anambra state government has ordered closure of Community Secondary School Awor-Ezimuzor, Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area following alleged unlawful arrest, torture and detention of Principal and Vice Principal of the school by Vigilantee group of the community.
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‎The Commissioner for Education, Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh who gave the directive said the school would remain closed until safety of the Principals, staff and students of the school were fully guaranteed.
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‎“The closure follows disturbing report of the unlawful arrest, torture and detaining of the Principal and Vice Principal of Community Secondary School Awor-Ezimuzor, Ezinifite, Nnewi South Local Government Area, without food, water and toilet facilities for three days by the Vigilantee group of the community.
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‎“The closure is to ensure security and safety of the students who are already traumatized by the development, even while writing their Basic Education Certificate Examination and West African School Certificate Examination
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‎“This directive will remain effective until the safety of the Principal, staff, and students is fully guaranteed.