Kano Tops NECO 2026 Results with Most Students Passing

Kano State has come out on top in the 2026 National Examination Council of Nigeria (NECO). A total of 74,413 candidates from the state passed with at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.

Lagos followed in second place with 72,496 candidates passing, while Oyo secured third place with 55,543 candidates.

This marks the second year in a row that Kano has led in the NECO results. Last year, Kano also recorded the highest number of candidates who passed with five credits, including English and Mathematics.

Governor Abba Yusuf reacted positively to this news. In a statement from his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature, he praised the students, teachers, parents, and everyone involved for their hard work.

Mr. Yusuf said this achievement shows that the state's investment in education is paying off. "Kano has maintained the first position in NECO twice in a row, making the state the leading SSCE performer for the two consecutive years, 2025 and 2026," he stated.

He assured Kano residents that his administration will keep prioritizing education. This includes increasing funding, improving facilities, recruiting and training teachers, providing scholarships, and helping underprivileged students.

To support these efforts, the state government spent over N4.4 billion in 2026 to help candidates for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination, especially those from low-income families.

The governor said this support aims to remove financial challenges and help students take exams in better conditions. He emphasized that the NECO results reflect the progress made by Kano students under his leadership.

"Education has consistently received the largest share of Kano State’s budget under Governor Yusuf, overshooting the UNESCO benchmark. In 2024, education took about 29.95 percent of the state budget. The allocation rose to N168.35 billion, representing 31 percent, in the 2025 budget. For 2026, the state allocated N405.35 billion to education, which is about 30 percent of the total budget of N1,478,829,666,130.71 trillion," he explained.

The governor noted that the investment goes beyond exam sponsorship. It includes renovating classrooms, recruiting teachers, providing learning materials, uniforms, scholarships, and other initiatives aimed at improving education quality.

Kano's education policies have received recognition both nationally and internationally. The state is quickly becoming a model for education reform in sub-Saharan Africa.

In 2024, Governor Yusuf won the Leadership Newspaper Governor of the Year Award for Education. He also received recognition from New Telegraph for his contributions to educational development.

The Nigeria Union of Teachers named him the Teachers’ Friendly Governor of the Year for 2024. In 2025, Blueprint Newspaper honored him as Governor of the Year for Education at their national conference in Abuja. This Nigeria newspaper also recognized him as the Courageous Governor of the Year for 2024.

The administration received international recognition for its commitment to education. It was awarded the International Literacy and Learning Award in London and the Education Spending Award by Universal Learning Solution and City University in Paris in 2026.

The goal is to create an education system that equips Kano’s youth with the knowledge and skills they need for higher education, employment, innovation, and leadership. Kano has more than five million school children, according to the latest annual school census.