NECO, NOUN team up to fight certificate fraud, expand computer-based exams

Efforts to strengthen the credibility of public examinations in Nigeria received a boost as the National Examinations Council, NECO, unveiled plans to partner with the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, on electronic result verification and the expansion of computer-based testing, CBT, in the country.

The NECO Registrar, Prof. Ibrahim Dantani Wushishi, made the disclosure on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the Vice-Chancellor of NOUN, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, noting that the collaboration would enhance the authentication of candidates’ results and curb the rising threat of certificate forgery.

According to Wushishi, the partnership will enable seamless integration of NECO’s e-Verify platform into NOUN’s admission process, ensuring that only genuine results are accepted.

He explained that prior to the introduction of the electronic verification system, result confirmation was handled manually, a process that often took months, particularly for foreign institutions.

The Registrar added that the council has since verified nearly five million results electronically and is working towards full migration from paper-based examinations to CBT, in line with federal education policy.

In his response, Prof. Uduma welcomed the initiative, describing result verification as a non-negotiable requirement for academic credibility.

He disclosed that NOUN admits about 40,000 students annually and would commence integration with the NECO e-Verify platform from the 2026/1 admission cycle.

The vice-chancellor also pledged the university’s support for NECO’s CBT expansion, citing its network of study centres and ICT facilities nationwide.

Both institutions expressed confidence that the collaboration would reinforce examination integrity and strengthen Nigeria’s education system.

NECO, NOUN team up to fight certificate fraud, expand computer-based exams