No security threat has ever stopped the National Examinations Council (NECO) from conducting its examinations, the Registrar of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, has said.
Wushishi stated this on Wednesday in Minna, Niger State, at the Council’s 2025 Annual Staff Productivity Award Ceremony, where the council showered awards on top-performing staff, state coordinators, retirees and best-performing students.
He attributed the uninterrupted conduct of NECO examinations over the years to the resilience and commitment of its workforce despite challenges such as Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and sit-at-home orders.
He described NECO employees as the “army of NECO,” saying their round-the-clock commitment had enabled the council to sustain its examination operations even in difficult security environments.
According to him, the nature of NECO’s work requires its personnel to remain constantly alert and ready to execute their responsibilities, much like the military.
“During the heydays of Boko Haram, the activities of Boko Haram have never stopped NECO’s examination. Banditry has never stopped NECO examination. Kidnapping has never stopped NECO examination. Sit-at-home order has never stopped NECO examination,” he said.
He added that NECO had continued to distribute examination logistics as scheduled, regardless of whether the operations were required during the day or at night.
“These are what the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria do during their activities or any time they are detailed to carry out security functions. So, the army of NECO, I salute you,” he said.
Wushishi said the annual productivity awards were not merely for celebrating individual achievements, but also designed to motivate staff, improve service delivery and promote continuous improvement across the council.
He said the 2025 awards recognised exceptional contributions by staff and stakeholders while fostering healthy competition and a culture of better performance.
He explained that the awards covered retirees, hardworking and dedicated staff across the registrar’s office, departments, zonal directorates, 36 state offices, the Liaison and LCT offices, as well as outstanding state coordinators and drivers.
Other categories included awards for excellent performance in various areas and special recognition for the best-performing male and female students in the 2025 examinations.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, said the ceremony went beyond the presentation of certificates and awards, describing it as a demonstration of recognition and commitment aimed at encouraging excellence, hard work, discipline and continuous improvement within NECO.
On the awards, NECO honoured its Cross River State Coordinator, Miss Ruth Nnamani, as the best State Coordinator of the year, while the award for best excellence performance went to Mrs Tabitha Kopdungha from Plateau State, Mr Garba Sandy from Niger State and Mr Rabiu Yakubu from Kaduna State.
The exam body also conferred an award of certificate of service to 55 staff retirees for the year 2025 to honour their commitment and contributions and in recognition of their years of loyalty and dedication to service.
On the senior school certificate examination, the award went to Akai Bernice Kuyet and Eke Felix Emenike both of School Sense Barnawa, Kaduna State for the female and male category respectively. Miss Michael Daniela Chiamaka of Christland High School Ikeja, Lagos and Mr Salihu Amir Umar of Kadwel International Schools Kaduna, won the Basic Education Certificate Examination, BECE, for the female and male category respectively.
The National Gifted Examination, NGE, award went to Master Ezeundu Samuel Akachukwu of God’s Wisdom Int’l School in Anambra for the male category, while the female category went to Ubochi Akunnaya of Diamond Special Schools Owerri. Alocha Naeto Daniel of Remmon Home Academy won the National Common Entrance award for the male category while Adenuga Monsurat Feyisara of Ar-Rahman Montessori School, Ojota, won the award for the female category.
The NECO Staff Productivity Awards is an annual programme that recognizes and celebrates exceptional contributions by staff of the National Examinations Council, NECO, and other stakeholders.
