Nov/Dec NECO GCE Timetable 2026

Registration for the 2026 NECO GCE (External) is open

NECO opened registration for the 2026 SSCE External on 7 July 2026. It closes on 26 October 2026 at midnight. Late registration runs 27 October to 3 November 2026 and costs an extra ₦5,000. The examination itself runs 4 to 21 November 2026 and is dual mode this year: some subjects are computer based (CBE), the rest pen and paper (PPE).

How to register

1. Create an account on ssceexternal.neco.gov.ng with your email or phone number, then activate it.
2. Pay ₦30,000 into the NECO TSA on the portal: ATM card, internet banking, USSD, wallet or bank branch.
3. Enter your biodata. Your NIN is required; registration will not complete without it.
4. Go to a reputable cybercafé for biometric fingerprint capture and to finish the registration. Check every entry before it is uploaded; NECO holds you, not the café, responsible for errors.
5. Choose your examination neighbourhood carefully. It cannot be edited after upload. Reprint your photocard two weeks before the exam to confirm your centre.
6. Collect your timetable and at least one clear NECO photocard from the café. Get the referee section signed and stamped by a school principal, an ordained clergyman or chief imam, a commissioned officer (captain or above), a civil servant of GL 14 or above, or a lawyer of 10 years' standing. You no longer need to take it to a NECO state office.

Passport photograph: white background, not older than six months. Fingerprints are verified again in the exam hall; a mismatch is treated as impersonation. Candidates with special needs register the same way and state the need in the biodata form.

Source: NECO reviewed 2026 SSCE External registration guideline (PDF, 1 September 2026)