Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has approved the release of ₦565.7 million to fund the 2026 external examination registration fees of 28,789 final-year students in public secondary schools across the state’s 27 local government areas.
Key Highlights
- Governor Babagana Umara Zulum approved ₦565.7 million for the 2026 external examination registration of 28,789 final-year public secondary school students across Borno State.
- The funding covers candidates for WASSCE, NABTEB and the Senior Islamic Studies Examination (SISE).
- The Borno State Government subsidises 75% of WASSCE and SISE registration fees and 70% of NABTEB fees, reducing the financial burden on parents.
- Students of Higher Islamic Colleges are benefiting from the examination support programme through SISE for the first time.
- Since 2019, the Zulum administration has spent about ₦4.71 billion on external examination registrations for 193,963 students.
The Commissioner for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Engr. Lawan Abba Wakilbe, announced the approval on Friday during the symbolic presentation of cheques at the Ministry’s Workhub Quality Assurance Office in Maiduguri.
According to the commissioner, the funds will cover candidates sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examinations, and the Senior Islamic Studies Examination (SISE).
Wakilbe said the state government’s sustained support has transformed examination administration in public schools by ensuring that students receive their examination results without the delays that previously affected many candidates.
He explained that the government currently subsidises 75 per cent of the registration fees for WASSCE and SISE, while also covering 70 per cent of NABTEB registration costs, easing the financial burden on parents and guardians.
The commissioner added that students of Higher Islamic Colleges are benefiting from the examination support programme through the Senior Islamic Studies Examination for the first time. He described the initiative as part of Governor Zulum’s broader efforts to improve access to quality education and integrate the Sangaya education system into mainstream education.
Providing an overview of the administration’s investment in education, Wakilbe disclosed that since Governor Zulum assumed office in 2019, the state has spent about ₦4.71 billion on external examination registrations for 193,963 students.
He noted that the intervention has resolved the long-standing problem of delayed examination results for students in public secondary schools.
Representing the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the Officer-in-Charge of the Maiduguri Office, Dr. A. I. Akanimoh, commended the governor for releasing the funds on time, describing the gesture as another demonstration of the administration’s commitment to improving educational standards in the state.
During the ceremony, symbolic cheques were presented to the examination bodies, including ₦558.13 million to WAEC for the 2026 WASSCE registration, ₦4.58 million to NABTEB, and ₦3.03 million to the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) for candidates participating in the Senior Islamic Studies Examination.
In a related development, Governor Zulum has commissioned the newly completed permanent office of the National Examinations Council (NECO) in Maiduguri.
Represented at the event by Commissioner Wakilbe, the governor said the facility, donated by the Borno State Government, sits on a 4,500-square-metre site within the premises of Mustapha Umar El-Kanemi Azhar College at Moduganari Junction along the Maiduguri–Jos Road.
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He said the new office is expected to strengthen examination administration and improve the delivery of educational services throughout the state.
The facility includes a two-storey office complex containing eight offices, a secured examination strong room, a conference hall, ten convenience facilities, landscaped surroundings and a solar-powered electricity system.
Speaking at the inauguration, NECO Zonal Director, Mrs. Deborah C. Rukop, expressed gratitude to the Borno State Government for completing the project, which she said had remained abandoned for over a decade.
She described the commissioning of the permanent office as a significant milestone that would improve the council’s operational efficiency and enhance its service delivery across Borno State.
