The National Examinations Council, NECO, has credited the resilience and commitment of its workforce for the uninterrupted conduct of examinations despite security challenges, including Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and sit-at-home orders.
NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, made this known on Wednesday in Minna, Niger State, at the council’s 2025 Annual Staff Productivity Award Ceremony.
Wushishi described NECO employees as the “army of NECO,” saying their round-the-clock commitment had enabled the council to sustain examination operations even in difficult security environments, much like the military.
“During the heydays of Boko Haram, the activities of Boko Haram have never stopped NECO’s examination. Banditry has never stopped NECO examination. Kidnapping has never stopped NECO examination.
“Sit-at-home orders have never stopped NECO examination,” he said, adding that logistics had continued to be distributed as scheduled, day or night. “So, the army of NECO, I salute you,” he said.
The registrar said the annual awards were not merely a celebration of individual achievement but were designed to motivate staff, improve service delivery, and promote continuous improvement.
The 2025 edition recognised exceptional contributions by staff and stakeholders while fostering healthy competition and better performance.
Categories covered retirees, hardworking staff across the registrar’s office, departments, zonal directorates, the 36 state offices, the Liaison and LCT offices, and outstanding state coordinators and drivers, alongside awards for the best-performing male and female students in the 2025 exams.
Wushishi described students as the ultimate beneficiaries of NECO’s work, saying their performance reflected hard work, discipline, and perseverance.
He said productivity was not merely about completing tasks but about delivering quality outcomes with integrity, timeliness, and measurable impact, and urged staff to embrace perseverance, teamwork, and continuous self-improvement.
He also credited stakeholders whose collaboration had helped sustain smooth examinations across Nigeria and abroad.
NECO honoured Cross River State Coordinator Miss Ruth Nnamani as Best State Coordinator of the Year. Excellent-performance awards went to Mrs. Tabitha Kopdungha, Plateau, Mr. Garba Sandu, Niger, and Mr. Rabiu Yakubu, Kaduna.
The council presented certificates of service to 55 staff retirees for 2025, including retired Director of Registration Mrs. Hajara Ali; Director of the South South Zone, Mr. Irem Obiahu; Director of Test Development, Mr. Michael Okei; and Acting Director of the South East Zone, Mr. Samuel Adiniyi.
Awards also went to all six zonal directors, the FCT Liaison Office, and coordinators of the 36 state offices and Abuja.
Among students, Akai Bernice Kuyet and Eke Felix Emenike, both of School Sense, Barnawa, Kaduna, won the Senior School Certificate Examination awards. Michael Daniela Chiamaka of Christland High School, Lagos, and Salihu Amir Umar of Kadwel International Schools, Kaduna, won the BECE awards.
Master Ezeundu Samuel Akachukwu of God’s Wisdom International School, Anambra, and Ubochi Akunnaya of Diamond Special Schools, Owerri, won the National Gifted Examination awards, while Alocha Naeto Daniel of Remmon Home Academy, and Adenuga Monsurat Feyisara of Ar-Rahman Montessori School, Ojota, won the National Common Entrance, NCEE, awards.
Also speaking, House Committee on Aviation Chairman Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba said the ceremony reflected recognition and commitment aimed at encouraging excellence, discipline, and continuous improvement within NECO.
He said the awards were designed to motivate personnel and boost confidence in the country’s examination system.
Garba stressed that examination credibility depends largely on the commitment, competence, and integrity of those implementing it, urging staff of NECO to let the recognition inspire the for greater productivity guided by fairness, transparency, and accountability, given its direct impact on students’ futures.
