Kano State has emerged as the leading state among the 36 sub-nationals in the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO).
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‎The state recorded 74,413 candidates who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, placing it ahead of Lagos which came second with 72,496 candidates, while Oyo came third with 55,543 candidates.
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‎This was contained in a statement by Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, Director-General, Media and Publicity, to the Kano State Government.
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‎According to the statement, the performance marks the second consecutive year that Kano has topped the NECO national performance chart, after recording the highest number of candidates with five credits including English and Mathematics in the 2025 examination.
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‎Reacting to the development, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf commended students, teachers, parents and other stakeholders for the outstanding feat, saying the back-to-back performance was an indication that the state’s sustained investment in education was producing measurable results.
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‎He assured that his administration would continue to prioritise education through increased funding, improved learning facilities, teacher recruitment and training, scholarships and support for indigent students.
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‎As part of its interventions, the state government spent over N4.4 billion in 2026 to sponsor candidates for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, particularly indigent students, to remove financial barriers.
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‎Governor Yusuf noted that education has consistently received the largest share of Kano State’s budget under his administration, surpassing the UNESCO benchmark.
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‎In 2024, education accounted for about 29.95 percent of the state budget. The allocation increased to N168.35 billion, representing 31 percent in the 2025 budget. For 2026, the state allocated N405.35 billion to education, representing about 30 percent of the N1.47 trillion budget.
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‎He said the investment goes beyond examination sponsorship to include classroom renovation, teacher recruitment, learning materials, uniforms and other interventions aimed at improving quality.
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‎The administration’s education policies have also attracted national and international recognitions, with Kano fast becoming a leading education reform hub in sub-Saharan Africa.
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‎In 2024, Governor Yusuf received the Leadership Newspaper Governor of the Year Award for Education, while New Telegraph recognised him for educational development. The Nigeria Union of Teachers also named him its Teachers’ Friendly Governor of the Year for 2024.
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‎In 2025, Blueprint Newspaper recognised him as Governor of the Year for Education, while This Nigeria newspaper awarded him as Courageous Governor of the Year 2024. His administration also received education-related recognition in London and Paris in 2026, for commitment to education with an international literacy and learning award and the education spending award by Universal Learning Solutions and City University, Paris.
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‎Other recognitions include the Vanguard Governor of the Year Award for Good Governance in 2024, BusinessDay Governor of the Year Award in 2025, and African Governor of the Year Award by African Leadership Magazine in Casablanca, Morocco.
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‎Governor Yusuf dedicated the latest NECO achievement to students, teachers, parents and the people of Kano State, assuring that government would sustain its investment to build an education system capable of equipping young people with skills for higher education, employment, innovation and leadership.
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‎Kano currently has over five million school children according to the last annual school census.
Kano Tops NECO Performance Chart Again With 74,413 Candidates
