The National Business and Technical Examinations Board has announced a 75.29 per cent pass rate in the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination for Technical Colleges, even as candidate enrolment fell by nearly half compared to last year.
Speaking while releasing the results on Tuesday, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of NABTEB, Dr Aminu Mohammed, said 15,290 candidates registered for the examination, a significant decline from the 29,260 recorded in 2025. Of those registered, 13,848 sat for the examination, while 1,442 were absent.
“Out of the 13,848 candidates who sat for the examination, 10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 per cent, scored 50 per cent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.22 per cent, scored 70 per cent and above.
“3,422 candidates (24.71 per cent) scored below 50 per cent, while 31 candidates (0.22 per cent) attained the highest rank with scores of 96 per cent and above,” he said.
Mohammed said the examination was conducted in 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, adding that the process was peaceful and complied with the board’s quality assurance standards.
He explained that candidates registered for 28 different trades grouped under five clusters: Mechanical, Electrical, Construction, Creative and Culinary, and Agricultural Technology.
Electrical Installation and Maintenance Practice attracted the highest number of candidates with 3,870 registrations, followed by Computer Hardware and GSM Repairs/Maintenance with 2,857. Other trades with strong enrolment included Catering Craft Practice, Bricklaying, Blocklaying and Concreting, Automobile Mechanics, and Fashion Design and Garment Making.
At the other end of the scale, Tiling and Cladding had just one candidate, while Social Media Content Creation and Management recorded two. Fish Farming Activities had three candidates, Motorcycle and Tricycle Repairs five, Creative Media six, Automobile CNG Conversion nine, and Leather Works 18.
The registrar also disclosed that registration for the supplementary National Common Entrance Examination would begin before the end of July to allow more prospective candidates to participate.
He urged parents and guardians to encourage their children to embrace Technical and Vocational Education and Training, describing it as a pathway to employment, entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
“The future of work is increasingly driven by skills, innovation, creativity and technology. Technical Colleges provide young Nigerians with practical competencies that prepare them for self-reliance, employment, entrepreneurship and lifelong learning,” he said.