NECO Opens UK Exam Centre For Nigerians In Diaspora
Posted 1 month ago at 4:55 pm on Sunday, October 26, 2025 by SchoolOverFlow
The National Examinations Council (NECO) has established a new Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) centre in London, UK. The move is part of its drive to provide credible evaluation opportunities for Nigerians living abroad.
NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, announced that the initiative was developed in collaboration with Barnfield Education Ltd. He explained the centre is designed to support Nigerian students and adult learners in the UK who, for various reasons, were unable to complete their secondary education or obtain equivalent qualifications.
According to Wushishi, the new UK centre complements NECO’s operations in seven countries —including facilities in Saudi Arabia—and plans are underway to open additional centres in Egypt and Burkina Faso.
The centre is also meant to enhance the global recognition of NECO certificates. Already, some UK universities — like Birmingham City University and Leeds Trinity University — as well as institutions in the US, Canada, India, China and Russia, accept NECO credentials.
The initiative received endorsement from Ministry of Education (Nigeria), with the then-Minister Tunji Alausa describing it as a vital step in making sure no Nigerian student—whether in the country or abroad—is left behind in education. The Nigerian High Commission in London also welcomed the development; its Head of Political Affairs, Eche Abu‑Obe, pledged cooperation to promote Nigeria’s educational goals for its diaspora.
In his remarks, the Director of NECO’s UK partner, John Ibanga, noted that many Nigerian-heritage children in the UK face difficulties within the British system — for example obtaining the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) — and that the new NECO centre gives them an alternative route to academic or vocational advancement.
This development represents a strategic opportunity for Nigerians abroad to gain recognized qualifications, strengthen their national identity through education, and benefit from an examination body that is expanding globally.
For students, parents and adult learners interested in making use of the UK centre, details such as registration procedures, examination schedules and fees are expected to be published by NECO and its UK partner in due course.
NECO’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Dantani Ibrahim Wushishi, announced that the initiative was developed in collaboration with Barnfield Education Ltd. He explained the centre is designed to support Nigerian students and adult learners in the UK who, for various reasons, were unable to complete their secondary education or obtain equivalent qualifications.
According to Wushishi, the new UK centre complements NECO’s operations in seven countries —including facilities in Saudi Arabia—and plans are underway to open additional centres in Egypt and Burkina Faso.
The centre is also meant to enhance the global recognition of NECO certificates. Already, some UK universities — like Birmingham City University and Leeds Trinity University — as well as institutions in the US, Canada, India, China and Russia, accept NECO credentials.
The initiative received endorsement from Ministry of Education (Nigeria), with the then-Minister Tunji Alausa describing it as a vital step in making sure no Nigerian student—whether in the country or abroad—is left behind in education. The Nigerian High Commission in London also welcomed the development; its Head of Political Affairs, Eche Abu‑Obe, pledged cooperation to promote Nigeria’s educational goals for its diaspora.
In his remarks, the Director of NECO’s UK partner, John Ibanga, noted that many Nigerian-heritage children in the UK face difficulties within the British system — for example obtaining the General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) — and that the new NECO centre gives them an alternative route to academic or vocational advancement.
This development represents a strategic opportunity for Nigerians abroad to gain recognized qualifications, strengthen their national identity through education, and benefit from an examination body that is expanding globally.
For students, parents and adult learners interested in making use of the UK centre, details such as registration procedures, examination schedules and fees are expected to be published by NECO and its UK partner in due course.
