NECO Temporarily Shuts Down Examination Portals for Maintenance

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has temporarily shut down all its examination portals across Nigeria for scheduled maintenance, causing disruptions for students, schools, and other stakeholders who rely on these platforms for critical services such as result checking and registration [1]. The announcement, posted on the NECO website, cited the need for system upgrades to ensure reliability and efficiency [2]. The council apologised for the inconvenience and urged users to remain patient during the maintenance period [3].

This move comes amid growing concerns from students and educators who were reportedly attempting to access recent results or prepare for upcoming examinations. The affected portals include the NECO results portal (https://results.neco.gov.ng), which is used to access SSCE, BECE, and NCEE results [4]. For example, in the 2024 SSCE External examination, 75.62% of candidates achieved credit and above in English Language, while 93.93% did so in Mathematics [5]. Such high traffic volumes necessitate regular updates to maintain seamless access and system integrity [6].

The shutdown is part of NECO’s broader digital transformation efforts under the leadership of Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, who was appointed Registrar and Chief Executive Officer in July 2021 [7]. These efforts include the introduction of the NECO e-verify App in 2023 and the use of stanine software for grading [8]. Prof. Wushishi has also been credited with reducing examination malpractice, which reportedly dropped from 12,030 cases in 2023 to 8,407 in 2024 [9].

While the exact duration of the portal shutdown has not been specified, the council has indicated that the maintenance is aimed at improving user experience, fixing bugs, and enhancing cybersecurity measures [10]. This follows a reported data breach in 2025 that affected over 150,000 Nigerian accounts, raising the need for stronger encryption and firewalls [11]. The timing of the maintenance may also be influenced by the high number of candidates accessing the portals after major examination results are released [12].

The shutdown coincides with recent activities by NECO, including a Sensitisation and Training Workshop for Chief Examiners and other examiners, held at its headquarters in Minna, Niger State [13]. The workshop, led by Prof. Wushishi, aimed to enhance grading standards and ensure consistency across the country [14]. This event marked one of NECO’s last public activities before announcing the portal closure, suggesting a strategic pause to focus on digital infrastructure improvements.

Despite the disruption, the council has assured users that the maintenance is a necessary step toward achieving long-term credibility and international recognition [15]. The upgrades are expected to support future examinations, including the 2025 Nov/Dec GCE, scheduled from November 26 to December 13 [16]. While some users have expressed frustration over the lack of access to critical resources, the council has reiterated its commitment to providing reliable and secure digital services for all stakeholders.

Source: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16]

[1] https://coinmarketcap.com/community/articles/6890d1c93e846716814e2f64/