NECO Exams Proposed Before WAEC in 2027 as FG Unveils Timetable Plan

The Federal Government has proposed a revised schedule for Nigeria’s major school-leaving and university entrance examinations in 2027, with the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) scheduled to begin before the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) examination.

The proposal was outlined in a communiqué dated September 30, 2026, following a meeting involving the Minister of State for Education, examination bodies and representatives of private schools. The meeting focused on harmonising examination timetables and strengthening teacher qualification requirements for examination centres.

Proposed 2027 JAMB, NECO and WAEC Examination Dates

Under the proposed timetable, the examinations are expected to take place as follows:

• JAMB UTME: March 15–25, 2027.
• NECO SSCE: April 1–May 14, 2027.
• WAEC WASSCE: May 11–June 18, 2027.
• NABTEB: June–July 2027.
• NBAIS: June–July 2027.

The proposed dates place NECO ahead of WAEC, although their examination periods would overlap from May 11 to May 14, 2027.

The communiqué projects the release of both NECO and WAEC results for August 2027. JAMB UTME results are projected for March, while the release dates for NABTEB and NBAIS results are yet to be communicated.

The proposed examination dates are subject to confirmation by the respective examination bodies. Students should therefore await official announcements before making firm plans based on the schedule.

FG Sets TRCN Requirement for Examination Centres

Beyond the timetable, the communiqué introduces a compliance requirement for schools seeking approval to serve as examination centres.

Under the proposed requirement, at least 75 percent of teachers in each accredited school must be licensed by the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) by December 11, 2026.

The relevant authorities will verify compliance and upload details of schools that meet the requirement to the designated registration portal. Schools that fail to satisfy the condition will not be approved to conduct the examinations.

The communiqué also states that further information on implementing the resolutions will be released in due course.