FG Proposes March 2027 UTME, April NECO, May WAEC; Targets August Results

The Federal Government has proposed that the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) hold from March 15 to 25, while results of major national examinations are targeted for release by August to allow eligible candidates to begin tertiary admission processes in September.

Under the proposed timetable, the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) would run from April 1 to May 14, while the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) is scheduled for May 11 to June 18.

The proposed dates were announced by the Federal Ministry of Education following a meeting convened by the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad, with representatives of examination bodies at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting focused on coordinating examination schedules, reducing timetable clashes and ensuring that results are processed and released early enough to support tertiary admissions.

Under the plan, the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) examination would hold from June 1 to July 5, while the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) examination is scheduled for June 10 to July 9.

The government is targeting the release of UTME results in March, while results for NECO, WAEC, NABTEB and NBAIS are expected in August 2027.

However, the proposed timetable places NECO and WAEC examinations in overlapping periods, with both scheduled to run from May 11 to May 14.

The overlap could be a concern for candidates registering for both examinations, depending on the subjects and papers scheduled during those days. The final timetables from the respective examination bodies will be important in determining how such clashes are addressed.

The Federal Ministry of Education said it would continue engaging the examination bodies to encourage compliance with the proposed schedule and improve coordination between examinations and tertiary admission timelines.

The plan is intended to give eligible candidates more time to complete admission requirements after receiving their results, with the government targeting the commencement of tertiary admission processes by September 2027.

Candidates are advised to follow official announcements from JAMB, NECO, WAEC and the other examination bodies for confirmation of examination dates and registration details.