Edo Emerges Third Best in NECO Performance as Gov Okpebholo Receives Excellence Award
By Ojo Evans
Benin City, May 8, 2026
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has been honoured with the National Examinations Council (NECO) Award of Excellence after the state emerged as the third best nationwide in student performance in the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal examinations.
According to NECO, the ranking reflects the percentage of candidates who obtained five credits and above in the SSCE Internal since the council’s inception in April 1999. The examination body, currently led by Registrar and Chief Executive Prof Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, said the annual award recognises state governments and institutions with consistent excellence in academic performance and participation.
NECO noted that the award category highlights measurable, data-driven achievements, including high pass rates, expanded access to examinations, and sustained investment in the education sector. It added that the recognition underscores the critical role of sub-national governments in improving educational standards and outcomes across the country.
“By rewarding excellence at the state level, the award encourages healthy competition and stronger commitment to quality education,” the council stated. It said the honour aligns with its broader mission of promoting quality education and ensuring that assessment outcomes contribute meaningfully to national development.
The council described the award as both a recognition of achievement and a challenge to other states and institutions to raise standards within Nigeria’s education system.
This marks the second major education sector recognition for the Okpebholo administration in less than two years. In February, the governor won the New Telegraph Newspapers Governor of the Year Award in Education for reforms recorded within his first year in office.
The reforms cited include the construction of more than 100 schools across the state, the recruitment of 6,000 teachers, and an increase in monthly funding for state-owned universities from ₦41 million to ₦500 million.
Education stakeholders in Edo State have described the latest NECO recognition as an indication of growing investment in the sector and its impact on learning outcomes in public schools.