Kano State has recorded a 9.2 per cent increase in the number of candidates who obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics, in the 2026 National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, with an education advocate attributing the improvement partly to sustained investment in the sector.
The state recorded 74,413 successful candidates in 2026, compared with 68,159 in 2025, representing an increase of 6,254 candidates.
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The figure placed Kano ahead of Lagos State, which recorded 72,496 candidates, and Oyo State, with 55,543 candidates, for the second consecutive year.
Dr Auwalu Halilu, Co-Chair of Civil Society Organisations at the Kano State Accountability Forum on Education (K-SAFE), said the achievement reflected the potential impact of sustained government investment and ongoing reforms in the education sector.
In an analysis of the results, Halilu identified the declaration of a State of Emergency on Education in June 2024 as a significant policy measure aimed at addressing longstanding challenges, including inadequate classrooms, teacher shortages, overcrowding, poor learning environments and shortages of instructional materials.
He noted that Kano had maintained substantial budgetary commitments to education, allocating approximately 29.95 per cent of its budget in 2024, N168.35 billion in 2025 and N405.35 billion in 2026. The allocations represented about 30 per cent of the state’s total planned expenditure in each year.
Halilu also highlighted the government’s examination sponsorship programme, which provided more than N3 billion in 2025 to support approximately 141,000 students sitting for WAEC, NECO, NABTEB and NBAIS examinations.
In 2026, the programme expanded, with about N4.4 billion committed to examination fees for more than 150,000 students.
He said the initiative had helped reduce financial barriers preventing students from disadvantaged households from completing secondary education and obtaining recognised qualifications, urging the government to sustain the programme and strengthen its beneficiary verification system.
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On teacher recruitment, Halilu said the state absorbed 4,315 former Better Education Service Delivery for All (BESDA) volunteer teachers into permanent employment in September 2025.
In July 2026, the government also issued appointment letters to 8,588 teachers, comprising 4,900 newly recruited teachers and 3,688 former BESDA teachers.
He further highlighted investments in school infrastructure and learning materials, including more than N1.9 billion for classroom renovation, approximately N2.925 billion for classroom construction and the distribution of 73,800 three-seat desks across the state’s 44 local government areas.
The government also approved N1.148 billion for free uniforms for Primary One pupils in the 2025/2026 academic session.
The K-SAFE co-chair acknowledged the contributions of development partners, including the Universal Basic Education Commission, UNICEF, Plan International, Save the Children and the UK-supported Partnership for Learning for All in Nigeria (PLANE), to education planning, teacher development, foundational literacy and numeracy, and the provision of learning materials.
Despite the improvement in examination performance, Halilu urged the government to strengthen accountability by publishing annual education performance reports, monitoring budget expenditure and assessing learning outcomes across local government areas.
He also recommended regular literacy and numeracy assessments, improved teacher training, better rural teacher deployment and stronger measures to address the challenge of out-of-school children.
He stressed that examination success should not be the sole measure of educational progress, calling for greater investment in girls’ education, inclusive learning, digital literacy, school safety and technical and vocational education to equip young people with relevant skills.
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Halilu commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s administration for prioritising education but emphasised that sustaining the gains would require continued investment, effective implementation and accountability.
He said the increase in NECO successes was encouraging but noted that the ultimate goal should be to ensure that every child has access to quality education and acquires the knowledge and skills needed for a productive future.