The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has released the results of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination, with 75 per cent of candidates scoring 50 per cent and above.
Announcing the results on Tuesday, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, said the examination was conducted nationwide on June 13.
Mohammed disclosed that 15,290 candidates registered for the examination, representing a sharp decline from the 29,260 candidates recorded in 2025.
According to him, the 13,970-candidate drop represents a 47.74 per cent decrease in enrolment compared to the previous year.
He said 13,848 candidates, representing 90.57 per cent of those registered, sat for the examination, while 1,442 candidates, or 9.43 per cent, were absent.
Of those who wrote the examination, 10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 per cent, scored 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.22 per cent, scored 70 per cent and above.
He added that 3,422 candidates, representing 24.71 per cent, scored below 50 per cent, while 31 candidates, representing 0.22 per cent, attained the highest category with scores of 96 per cent and above.
Mohammed said the examination was conducted across 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He noted that the exercise was conducted peacefully and in line with the board’s quality assurance guidelines to ensure transparency and credibility.
According to the registrar, candidates enrolled in 28 trades grouped under five clusters: Mechanical, Electrical, Construction, Creative and Culinary, and Agricultural Technology.
Electrical Installation and Maintenance Practice recorded the highest enrolment with 3,870 candidates, followed by Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs/Maintenance with 2,857 candidates.
Other popular trades included Catering Craft Practice with 1,780 candidates, Bricklaying, Blocklaying and Concreting with 1,553 candidates, Automobile Mechanics with 1,156 candidates, and Fashion Design and Garment Making with 940 candidates.
However, Tiling and Cladding recorded the lowest enrolment with one candidate, while Social Media Content Creation and Management had two candidates.
Fish Farming Activities recorded three candidates, Motorcycle and Tricycle Repairs had five candidates, Creative Media had six candidates, Automobile CNG Conversion had nine candidates, while Leather Works attracted 18 candidates.
Mohammed announced that registration for the supplementary National Common Entrance Examination would commence before the end of July to accommodate more prospective candidates.
He urged parents and guardians to encourage their children to embrace Technical and Vocational Education and Training as a pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
“The future of work is increasingly driven by skills, innovation, creativity and technology. Technical Colleges provide young Nigerians with practical competencies that prepare them for self-reliance, employment, en
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