The release of the 2026 National Examinations Council, NECO, results came after some universities had already set deadlines for candidates to upload their O’Level results, leaving students who depended on NECO caught between examination and admission calendars.
NECO released the 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, Internal results on September 24, 2026, 63 days after the last paper was written on July 23. Of the 1,371,992 candidates who sat for the examination, 804,948, representing 58.67 per cent, obtained at least five credits, including English Language and Mathematics.
For candidates waiting for NECO results, the timing mattered because some universities had already set deadlines before the results became available.
Admission deadlines before NECO results
University of Lagos (UNILAG), announced on August 18 that the deadline for uploading WAEC, NECO, GCE and Cambridge O’Level results to both the JAMB Central Admissions Processing System (CAPS) and the university portal had been extended to August 24.
The notice, signed by Mrs V. Abosede Wickliffe, Registrar and Secretary to Council, warned that candidates whose O’Level results were not properly reflected on JAMB CAPS by the deadline would not be considered for admission.
That deadline came exactly one month before NECO released its 2026 results.
UNILAG’s admission notices reviewed by DAILY POST still show the August 24 O’Level upload deadline. No subsequent notice reopening that particular O’Level upload window for the 2026 NECO results was found among the notices reviewed.
Universities take different paths
At the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), candidates who had previously indicated “Awaiting Result” were given another opportunity to upload their WAEC or NECO results.
A notice signed by the university’s Registrar, Dr (Mrs) C. N. Nnebedum, said candidates who had uploaded WAEC results but wished to replace them with NECO results, combine both results, or upload a result after previously indicating “Awaiting Result” were required to update and validate their records.
The deadline was midnight on September 30, 2026, the same day the university’s Post-UTME screening portal was scheduled to close.
At the University of Ilorin, the admission process also brought the issue closer to home for candidates and their families.
The university reopened its portal after the release of the NECO results for candidates who had been waiting to upload their results. The window ran from Monday, September 28, to Wednesday, September 30, at 11:59 p.m.
One parent, Adams Moses, from Minna, travelled to Ilorin with his son after learning that the portal had reopened. His son had already secured admission but was waiting for his NECO result to complete the process.
The parent said he personally confirmed at the university that the portal had opened on Monday evening and closed on Wednesday at 11:55 p.m.
According to him, “The trip meant additional transport expenses for my family, already dealing with the cost of securing admission. The government needs to look into this.”
The son eventually uploaded his NECO result and completed the process.
His experience showed the practical difficulties candidates faced when admission deadlines came before the release of their results.
Credit: Dailypost
