By Kwin Israel, The Sight News
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has credited the resilience and commitment of its workforce for the uninterrupted conduct of examinations despite security challenges, including Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and sit-at-home orders.
Registrar of NECO, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, said this on Wednesday in Minna, Niger State, at the Council’s 2025 Annual Staff Productivity Award Ceremony. He described NECO employees as the “army of NECO,” saying their round-the-clock commitment had enabled the Council to sustain examination operations even in difficult security environments, likening the demands of their work to those faced by the Armed Forces.
“During the heyday 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, adding that logistics had continued to be distributed as scheduled, whether by day or night.
Prof. Wushishi said the annual productivity awards were designed not only to celebrate individual achievement but also to motivate staff, improve service delivery and promote continuous improvement across the Council. He said the 2025 edition covered retirees, hardworking staff across the registrar’s office, departments, zonal directorates, the 36 state offices, and the Liaison and LCT offices, as well as outstanding state coordinators, drivers and top-performing students, whom he described as the ultimate beneficiaries of NECO’s work.
Also speaking, Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation, Hon. Abdullahi Idris Garba, said the ceremony went beyond the presentation of certificates, describing it as a demonstration of recognition aimed at encouraging excellence, hard work, discipline and continuous improvement within NECO. He said the credibility of examinations depends not only on policy but largely on the commitment, competence and integrity of those who implement them, and urged staff to let the recognition inspire greater productivity, fairness, transparency and accountability.
NECO honoured its Cross River State Coordinator, Ruth Nnamani, as Best State Coordinator of the year, while the Excellent Performance award went to Tabitha Kopdungha (Plateau State), Garba Sandy (Niger State) and Rabiu Yakubu (Kaduna State). The Council also presented certificates of service to 55 staff retirees for 2025, including former Director of Registration Hajara Ali, former Director of the South South Zone Irem Obiahu, former Director of Test Development Michael Okei, and Acting Director of the South East Zone Samuel Adiniyi. Awards also went to all six zonal directors, the FCT Liaison Office, and coordinators of the 36 state offices and Abuja.
On student performance, the Senior School Certificate Examination award went to Akai Bernice Kuyet and Eke Felix Emenike, both of School Sense, Barnawa, Kaduna State, for the female and male categories respectively. The Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) award went to Michael Daniela Chiamaka of Christland High School, Ikeja, Lagos, and Salihu Amir Umar of Kadwel International Schools, Kaduna. The National Gifted Examination (NGE) award went to Ezeundu Samuel Akachukwu of God’s Wisdom Int’l School, Anambra, and Ubochi Akunnaya of Diamond Special Schools, Owerri.
In the same vein, the National Common Entrance award went to Alocha Naeto Daniel of Remmon Home Academy and Adenuga Monsurat Feyisara of Ar-Rahman Montessori School, Ojota.
The NECO Staff Productivity Awards is an annual programme recognising exceptional contributions by staff and stakeholders, with categories spanning teaching, administration, research and innovation. The Council said the initiative is designed to inspire healthy competition and continuous improvement across the education sector.
