FG Sets August Deadline for 2027 WAEC, NECO Results, Targets September Admissions

The Federal Government has harmonised the 2027 external examination timetable, setting August as the deadline for the release of secondary school leaving examination results to enable eligible candidates to begin tertiary admission processes in September.

Under the proposed calendar, results from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) are expected to be released in August 2027.

The Federal Ministry of Education disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

The initiative is part of the education reform agenda of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI), which seeks to improve efficiency, coordination and educational outcomes.

To facilitate the implementation, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, convened a meeting with heads and representatives of examination bodies at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting focused on synchronising examination schedules, reducing timetable clashes and ensuring the timely processing and release of results.

According to the ministry, the harmonisation is designed to address recurring delays in releasing examination results, which often disrupt the admission calendar and leave some candidates unable to secure admission in the year they complete secondary school.

Under the proposed timetable, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will hold from March 15 to 25, 2027, with results expected in March.

The NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is scheduled for April 1 to May 14, with results expected in August.

WAEC’s West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will run from May 11 to June 18, while NABTEB examinations are scheduled for June 1 to July 5.

The NBAIS examination will take place from June 10 to July 9. Results for both examinations are also expected in August.

The harmonised calendar places the UTME first, followed by NECO, WAEC, NABTEB and NBAIS examinations, with all four secondary school examination bodies working towards a common results-release deadline.

The ministry said the arrangement would provide tertiary institutions with a more predictable admission window, allowing them to commence admission processes in September without unnecessary delays caused by outstanding examination results.

It added that it would continue engaging examination bodies to ensure compliance with the agreed timelines, strengthen accountability and align examination schedules with tertiary admission requirements.

The ministry reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to implementing education reforms under NESRI to improve efficiency and expand timely access to tertiary education.

If successfully implemented, the new calendar could reduce the risk of candidates losing admission opportunities because their examination results are released after universities and other tertiary institutions have begun their admission exercises.