NECO @25: Abbas Calls for Urgent Reforms, Integrity Drive in Examination System
...says credible assessment critical to national development, public trust
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas has called for urgent reforms to strengthen the integrity, credibility, and innovation of Nigeria’s national assessment system, stating that examination bodies are central to governance, economic development, and public trust.
Presenting the lead paper at the 25th anniversary celebration of the National Examinations Council (NECO), Abbas praised the institution for its resilience and contribution to educational advancement since its establishment in 1999, while stressing that the future of assessment system must be anchored on transparency, digital innovation, and institutional accountability.
Represented by the Deputy Speaker, Rt Hon. Benjamin Kalu the Speaker described NECO as a vital national institution that has expanded access to certification for millions of Nigerians and reinforced national ownership of examinations.
“Over the past twenty-five years, NECO has significantly broadened access to certification, reinforced national ownership of assessments, and offered an additional pathway through which millions of young Nigerians have demonstrated their preparedness for further education and employment. These accomplishments merit appropriate recognition, anniversaries, however, are not merely occasions for celebration. They are also opportunities for critical evaluation.
“Institutions are characterised by their ability to persist through continual renewal, achieved not by neglecting challenges but by confronting them with transparency and deliberate intent. National assessment systems are not merely technical instruments for educational policy; they are critical governance institutions that shape opportunities, demonstrate competence, and preserve public trust,” Abbas stated
He cautioned that examination malpractice continues to threaten the credibility of the education system, noting that weak credentialing structures undermine merit, fuel distrust, and erode confidence in public institutions.
Commending the recent progress by NECO and WAEC in reducing examination malpractice through stricter enforcement measures, including biometric verification, tighter supervision, and improved logistics, the Speaker however opined that stronger legislative action and institutional coordination remain necessary.
According to him, the National Assembly would continue to deploy its constitutional powers of lawmaking, oversight, and appropriation to modernise the country’s assessment architecture, strengthen digital examination systems and improve cybersecurity protections.
The Speaker further advocated a phased policy roadmap aimed at reforming Nigeria’s assessment system, starting with immediate steps to strengthen enforcement, curb examination malpractice, protect whistleblowers.
Abbas said, “The integrity of national assessment systems is essential to the credibility of educational results, the legitimacy of certifications, and the proper functioning of merit-based opportunity frameworks. In Nigeria, this integrity is persistently challenged by a combination of structural, institutional, socio-economic, and technological factors. The most conspicuous manifestation is examination malpractice. Recent data illustrate both the scale of the problem and signs of progress under stricter enforcement. Both NECO and WAEC have reported encouraging reductions in recent cycles.
“This lecture has underscored a fundamental point. National assessment systems are not merely technical instruments for educational policy; they are critical governance institutions that shape opportunities, demonstrate competence, and preserve public trust. In Nigeria, challenges such as examination malpractice, institutional fragmentation, technological change, and socio-economic pressures reveal broader issues of state capacity, regulation, and societal expectations. Addressing them requires more than administrative corrections. For the House, this reframing presents both an obligation and an opportunity. By executing its legislative, oversight, and funding responsibilities with clarity and purpose, the House can help build an assessment system that earns trust and advances national progress. The true measure of success is not the quantity of examinations conducted or certificates conferred, but the extent to which those certifications reflect genuine competence, command international recognition, and contribute to a skilled and productive workforce.”