2026 NECO SSCE June/July Registration Form [UPDATED]

The National Examination Council, NECO wishes to inform all Secondary Schools that the sales of form and registration for the 2026 June/July Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is now open.

Principals/Commandants of Schools are hereby advised to proceed with the purchase of forms and registration immediately.

LATEST UPDATE: This is to inform the general public and all school administrators that the National Examinations Council (NECO) has officially announced the registration deadlines for the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal.

According to an internal memo released by the Registration Department, the following schedule has been finalized:

• Normal Registration Deadline: The regular registration period is set to conclude on Monday, 25th May, 2026.
• Late Registration Window: A brief window for late registration will be available from Tuesday, 26th May, 2026, through Friday, 29th May, 2026.
• Final Portal Closure: The NECO registration website will be officially shut down at 11:59 pm on Friday, 29th May, 2026.

The Council’s Director, Dr. Charles E. Udoh, has urged all schools to hasten the registration of their candidates to ensure they meet these dates. Stakeholders are strictly advised to comply with this timeline, as the Council has explicitly stated there shall be no further extension beyond the May 29th deadline.

ABOUT NECO SENIOR SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION (INTERNAL)

This is the examination taken by candidates in their last stage of Secondary School Education. The SSCE is in two categories. One is for candidates in the third and final year of their senior secondary education and it is called SSCE Internal while the Second is SSCE External and is for candidates not in the School system, i.e. Private Candidates.

The SSCE internal has seventy-six subjects which are grouped into the following six categories.

1. Compulsory Cross-Cutting Subjects
2. Science and Mathematics
3. Technology
4. Humanities
5. Business Studies and
6. Trade/Entrepreneurship.

NOTE: All candidates must offer the 4 cross-cutting compulsory subjects. Candidates are to offer 3-4 subjects from their area of specialization and 1 elective outside their field of specialization provided the total number of subjects is not more than nine (9). The minimum number of subjects is eight (8)

NECO SSCE Internal Registration Guidelines

You can always make reference to the pdf version of these guidelines.

You are requested to painstakingly read through, understand and comply with the requirements therein. Do not hesitate to ask questions or seek for an explanation on any aspect of the new registration procedure which you may not have clearly understood.

Please note that you are expected to read and clearly understand this registration procedure & guidelines before embarking on the registration exercise. This correspondence is strictly for all

Principals and Commandants of Command /Airforce/Police Secondary Schools to read and implement.

A. ELIGIBILITY FOR REGISTRATION:

Principals/Commandants of schools are hereby informed that only candidates in their final year of Senior Secondary School i.e. (SS3) are eligible for registration. For the avoidance of doubt, the 2026 June/July SSCE is meant for only school-based candidates in Nigeria and overseas. It is not meant for private candidates. Principals/Commandants of schools and States Ministries of Education should endeavor to enforce the eligibility condition.

B. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE:

The 2026 SSCE (I) registration will be both OFFLINE and ONLINE.

OFFLINE REGISTRATION

Schools are to install the 2026 SSCE Internal offline application by downloading from the Council’s website:www.neco.gov.ng.

The user manual on the step-by-step offline and online registration procedure can also be downloaded from the Council’s website.

Schools are to make all entries of their candidates’ bio-data offline and intermittently synchronize online to avoid loss of data. Ensure that all prospective Candidates are registered offline, such that as they pay, they could be uploaded online progressively.

Please note that a candidate is only registered if his/her offline entries are uploaded online to obtain a registration number. Online upload is only possible upon payment of registration fees.

BIOMETRIC DATA CAPTURING

Biometric data capturing is a process by which candidates’ fingerprints (10 fingers) are captured during offline registration. The Biometric application can be downloaded from the Council’s website or through the SSCE Internal Dashboard. It is a vital part of the offline registration because without it, candidates’ data cannot be uploaded online. FUTRONIC (FS80H) should be used for the data capturing. Schools are to ensure that candidates crosscheck their data (Name, Picture, Date of Birth, Sex, Subjects, etc.) on the preview page during the biometric capturing and can go back to the Offline application to correct any error detected by the candidate(s).

The Council should be notified of any physically challenged candidate(s) whose fingerprints cannot be captured during offline registration process.

Schools should NOTE that:

• Duplication of registration will not be entertained since no two biometric data are the same.
• No person(s)/candidate(s) should be allowed to capture their fingerprints on behalf of the rightful candidate(s) as any candidate whose biometric data does not match the data uploaded during verification exercise will be deemed to be impersonating.

VISUALLY IMPAIRED CANDIDATES

Visually impaired candidates are to be registered like everyone. However, the nature of their disability is to be indicated correctly when making entry of their bio-data in the offline application during registration. Visually impaired candidates are of two categories:

• Low Vision
• Complete Blindness

OFFLINE VALIDATION

After successful offline registration, schools are to do the offline bio-data validation before uploading registration data online. Candidates are to check and make all corrections of Name, Picture, Date of Birth, Sex, Subjects etc., before uploading the registration data online. PLEASE NOTE THAT THE

COUNCIL IS NOT LIABLE FOR REGISTRATION ERRORS. ALL REGISTRATION ERRORS MUST BE CORRECTED DURING THE VALIDATION PROCESS BEFORE UPLOADING THE REGISTRATION ONLINE. 

PROCEDURE FOR OFFLINE VALIDATION 

Upon completion of the offline registration, schools are to print the offline photocards of all the candidates from the offline application and issue to each candidate to confirm that his/her Picture, Name, State, Local Government Area (LGA), Date of Birth, Sex and the Subjects he/she wishes to sit for are all correct. Where errors are discovered, candidates should correct such errors on the photocard and sign in the appropriate column. Where there are no errors, Candidates should just sign the appropriate column. All signed photocards are to be returned to the person doing the registration to enter all corrections in the offline application.

NOTE THAT ALL CORRECTIONS MUST BE DONE OFFLINE AND DUPLICATION OF REGISTRATION WILL NOT BE ENTERTAINED.

The Council is not liable for any registration errors committed by schools during registration and will only entertain non-validation after schools have uploaded their entries online upon payment of fine.

Please note that any school that requests for correction of Name (only error in spelling of Name will be entertained), Picture, Date of Birth, Sex or Subject(s) is deemed to have indulged in “NONVALIDATION”. The penalty fee for non-validation is Seven Thousand Naira (N7,000.00) only per candidate irrespective of the nature of non-validation.

After effecting all corrections, the validation list should be printed and given to candidates to further confirm that all the corrections they made on their photocards (if any) have been duly effected. Where Candidates discover on the Validation List that the error(s) were not effected, the attention of the person doing the registration should be drawn to effect the correction(s).  Candidates should append their signatures on the corrected copy of the Validation list against their respective names. The signed offline validation list is one of the documents to be returned to respective NECO State Offices along with other Validation Documents. 

SCHOOL ACTIVATION FOR PAYMENT

Each School must be activated by the NECO State Officer of each respective State and FCT before payment and upload could be possible. Schools are to return the Validation Documents to their respective State Officers, who would thereafter, activate the School for payment of the required candidates to conclude the registration. 

The validation Documents to be returned to NECO State Offices before activation are:

i. Validation List duly signed by the candidates ii. Candidates’ signed Photocards iii. Entry Schedule duly endorsed by the State Ministry of Education iv. Subject Analysis

Schools are to note that Centre activation commenced.

PAYMENT PROCEDURE AND UPLOAD

All payments should strictly be made through the school’s online NECO portal. Upon successful payment, registration quota is allocated according to the amount paid into the NECO TSA. After the quota is allocated, schools can select the individual candidates to upload (if the payment is not for all candidates) by checking the selection boxes against each candidate’s name or clicking the “check all “box to select the entire candidates, if the payment is for all the candidates.

Note that when paying in installments, initial payment should be made for at least 20 candidates to avoid being surcharged for unviable centre fee. 

After successful payment, quotas allocated and the payment receipt is sent to the administrator’s email address. Schools can also print their payment receipt from the transaction history in their school profile and submit a copy to the NECO State Office along with the final Validation list that carries Candidates’ registration numbers.

The allocated quota would be used to upload and register candidates. After successful upload, registration numbers are automatically assigned to each registered candidate on both the final photocard and validation list. Immediately after completion of the registration, schools should print the final validation list and give all candidates to sign against their respective names.

The payment receipt and the signed final validation list should be endorsed by the School Principal/Commandant before submission to NECO State Office. The final photocards that bear the candidates’ registration numbers are to be used for admission of candidates into the examination hall(s), as well as for candidates’ biometric verification exercise during the examination.

DETAILS OF EXAMINATION FEES AND OTHER MATERIALS

Details of the Examination fees and other registration materials are as follows:

The following are the approved fees for the examination and other related items

• Registration feesFee inclusive of Four Figure Mathematical Table and Waterproof Certificate Folder/Jacket ₦30,000.00
• Late registrationPer candidate ₦5,000
• Photo album ₦2,700.00
• SyllabusPer copy ₦2,000.00
• Unviable centre fee For centres that registered less than 20 candidates ₦70,000.00
• Late submission of 3rd year CAS 3 fee Applies when centres submit their CAS 3 after the window has closed₦40,000.00

MINIMUM NUMBER OF CANDIDATES

The minimum number of candidates to be registered by a school is 20 (twenty).

Any school registering less than twenty candidates is deemed unviable and as such shall pay unviable centre fee of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) only, if they wish to write the examination in their school.

E-PHOTO ALBUMS

The electronic photo albums will be generated by the Council. A pair of purchased e-photo album will be endorsed and a copy sent to your school.  

Each e-photo album has provision for 171 candidates. A pair of e-photo album costs Two Thousand Seven Hundred Naira (N2,700) only. 

SYLLABUS AND FOUR FIGURE TABLE

The syllabus for NECO SSCE is available at the cost of Two Thousand Naira (N2,000) only per copy and each school is advised to have at least four (4) copies. Furthermore, each candidate is to obtain a copy of NECO four-figure tables at the cost of Two Hundred and Fifty Naira (N250.00) only.

3^RD YEAR CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT SCORES (CA3)  

The period for CA3 entries by Schools should ensure that they use the offline application to make entries for CA3 within the stipulated period, ensure complete upload and print CA3 for reference purpose.

Procedure for CA3 entry and upload: ✓ Login to the Offline portal

• Click on Third Year CA menu
• Select the Candidate
• Make entries for CA3 and save
• Connect online and upload by synchronizing all saved entries

Any school that fails to upload the CA3 within the stipulated period stated above, will pay penalty fee.

Any school still having candidates (partial or full) without CA3 for 2023 2024 and 2025 registration should endeavour to pay the late submission penalty fee.

NECO CLOSING DATE 2026

The 2026 NECO Registration for SSCE Internal Candidates commences on January 19, 2026 and the registration portal will close on Friday, 29th May, 2026..

The last date for the return of printed payment receipt and endorsed final validation list is Friday, 29th May, 2026..

ONLINE CENTRE DISPUTE

Online centre dispute is the procedure for changing the schools’ login detail for those that could not access their portal on the NECO website due to one reason or the other. Schools are advised to always use an official email address as this will stop the constant changing of login details.

However, all dispute request should henceforth be officially channeled through the various State Offices. This is to authenticate the request and stop unauthorized parties gaining access into schools’ portal without their consent, as experienced lately.

Recommended Articles:

1. Check Out Trending Schools Gist
2. List Of Schools Whose Post UTME Forms are on Sale
3. Top 5 Must-Have for Freshers in Any Nigerian Higher Institution
4. 15 Types of Roommates You Will Find in School
5. 5 Reasons Most Students Are Not Offered Admission Despite High Post-utme Score
6. Jamb Alternatives: 5 Best Ways To Gain Admission Into A University Without JAMB
7. Ten Things Every Jambite Must Know Before Entering The University
8. 10 Secrets to Making Straight A’s in Varsity of Poly
9. Mistakes Students should never Make in Tertiary Institutions

ALLSCHOOL TEAM