75% pass NABTEB technical college exam as enrolment drops 48%

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has announced the results for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination, revealing that 75% of candidates achieved scores of 50% and above. Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr. Aminu Mohammed, shared these figures, noting the examination took place nationwide on June 13.

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Out of the 13,848 candidates who sat for 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.

A significant decline in enrollment was observed, with 15,290 candidates registering for the exam. This represents a drop of 13,970 candidates, or 47.74%, compared to the 2025 enrollment figures. Of those registered, 13,848 candidates, or 90.57%, actually took the examination, while 1,442 were absent.

Among the candidates who sat for the exam, 10,426 (75.29%) scored 50% or higher. A substantial portion, 5,708 candidates (41.22%), achieved scores of 70% or above. Conversely, 3,422 candidates (24.71%) scored below 50%, and 31 candidates (0.22%) attained top scores of 96% or higher.

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The figure represents a decline of 13,970 candidates, equivalent to 47.74 per cent of the previous year’s enrolment.

The examination was administered across 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges throughout Nigeria. Dr. Mohammed stated the exercise was conducted peacefully and adhered to NABTEB's quality assurance guidelines for transparency and credibility. Popular trade choices included Electrical Installation and Maintenance Practice, Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs/Maintenance, and Catering Craft Practice. Conversely, Tiling and Cladding saw the lowest enrollment with only one candidate.

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The examination was conducted across 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.