The National Examinations Council (NECO) has launched a new examination centre in London, United Kingdom, as part of efforts to expand its reach and provide credible assessment opportunities to Nigerians living abroad.
Registrar and Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, unveiled the centre during the Education Matters Conference UK 2025. He explained that the initiative, developed in partnership with Barnfield Education Ltd, was designed to help Nigerian students and adult learners in the UK who were unable to complete their secondary education or obtain equivalent qualifications.
“Our objective is to provide credible and accessible examination opportunities for Nigerians residing abroad in line with the Federal Government’s education policy on inclusivity and global engagement,” Wushishi said in a statement by NECO’s Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, Azeez Sani.
He added that the new Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) centre represents a strategic step in extending NECO’s global presence. The council currently operates in seven countries, including Saudi Arabia, with new centres awaiting accreditation in Egypt and Burkina Faso.
Wushishi also noted that the London centre would empower Nigerians abroad, promote national pride, and enhance the global recognition of NECO certificates, which are already accepted by universities in the UK, the United States, Canada, India, China, and Russia.
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, praised NECO for the initiative, describing it as a significant step toward ensuring that “no Nigerian child, at home or abroad, is left behind.”
Similarly, Dr. John Ibanga, Director of BEP Education and NECO’s UK partner, said the new centre would offer Nigerian students an alternative pathway, especially those struggling to meet the requirements of the British education system.
During a visit to the Nigerian High Commission in London, Prof. Wushishi briefed officials on the new centre’s accreditation. In response, Ambassador Eche Abu-Obe, Head of Political Affairs at the Mission, commended the move as a “timely and commendable effort” that aligns with Nigeria’s goal of promoting educational inclusivity and diaspora engagement.
