NECO Expands Global Reach as Burkina Faso Schools Secure Accreditation

Abuja — The National Examinations Council (NECO) has extended its international footprint to Burkina Faso after granting full accreditation to several schools to conduct the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) and the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

In a statement on Sunday, signed by the Acting Director of Information and Public Relations, NECO, Azeez Sani, the council accreditation team visited the approved schools where they carried out a comprehensive evaluation to determine their readiness for the examinations.

According Sani the team assessed classrooms, libraries, laboratories, workshops, computer labs, examination halls, sports facilities, continuous assessment records, as well as teacher adequacy and school security.

According to NECO, all evaluated institutions met the required standards and have now been approved to host SSCE and BECE examinations. The Council described the development as a reaffirmation of its mission to enhance access to credible assessment services across Africa.

The expansion into Burkina Faso follows NECO’s recent establishment of a centre in London and is in addition to existing centres in Togo, Benin Republic, Niger Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Saudi Arabia.

Nigeria’s Ambassador to Burkina Faso, Ambassador M.D. Galadima, praised NECO’s efforts during a courtesy visit by the accreditation team to the Nigerian Embassy in Ouagadougou.

He noted that Nigerian families in the Francophone nation had long struggled due to differences in educational systems and the shortage of English-language schools.

“Previously, parents had to take their children to Saki in Oyo State to register and write the examination. This exposed them to security risks and imposed significant financial strain on families,” he said.

Galadima added that the newly accredited centres will ease this burden, improving access for school owners and parents.

Dr. Uche Ezenwanne, leader of NECO’s accreditation team, explained that the approval allows Nigerian students living in Burkina Faso to take NECO examinations without travelling back home, reinforcing the Council’s prominence as a leading examining body on the continent.