NECO expansion gains momentum as the council secures accreditation to conduct SSCE and BECE in Burkina Faso, boosting its international reach

The NECO expansion drive has recorded a significant milestone as the National Examinations Council confirmed full accreditation for selected schools in Burkina Faso to host its examinations, marking a bold step in strengthening its international presence.

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In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the council’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani, said NECO would now begin conducting the Senior School Certificate Examination and the Basic Education Certificate Examination in the West African nation.

According to him, the development follows a comprehensive assessment mission by an accreditation team, which inspected classrooms, laboratories, libraries, computer facilities, workshops, examination halls, sports areas and security arrangements.

The team also reviewed Continuous Assessment records, teacher adequacy and the overall learning environment.

Sani noted that the schools met NECO’s strict standards, earning full accreditation. He described the move as a powerful demonstration of NECO’s resolve to deliver high-quality assessment services beyond Nigeria’s borders.

He added that the council’s growing global footprint places it on course to become one of Africa’s leading examining bodies, offering Nigerian and foreign students alike access to credible and well-structured examinations.

NECO’s expansion into Burkina Faso comes shortly after the establishment of an examination centre in London. Existing international centres include Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire and Saudi Arabia.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, M. D. Galadima, welcomed the development, calling it a major relief for Nigerian families.

He explained that parents previously faced difficulties aligning with local educational systems and struggled with the absence of English-language schooling.

Many families, he said, were forced to travel to Saki in Oyo State to register and write exams, facing security risks and hefty financial strain.

The new accreditation will eliminate these burdens and make the process safer and more affordable.

Galadima urged the Nigerian community in Burkina Faso to seize the opportunity by enrolling their children for NECO examinations.

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Leader of the NECO accreditation team, Uche Ezenwanne, said the approval would enable Nigerian students in Burkina Faso to sit for the SSCE and BECE without travelling back home, reinforcing NECO’s reputation as a formidable examination body on the continent.