Thousands of Nigerian students who sat for the 2026 National Business Certificate (NBC) and National Technical Certificate (NTC) examinations can now access their results, with the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) reporting a significant improvement in performance.

NABTEB said 79,503 candidates, representing 81.24 per cent of the 97,863 candidates graded, obtained at least five credits including English Language and Mathematics. The result gives successful candidates an important qualification as they consider further education, skills development or entry into the workforce.

The improvement is also notable for parents, teachers and schools involved in technical and vocational education. The comparable pass rate in 2025 was 68.18 per cent.

NABTEB Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Aminu Mohammed, announced the 2026 June/July NBC and NTC results at a news conference in Benin on Wednesday, September 2.

According to the figures announced:

- 100,069 candidates registered for the examinations.
- 97,867 candidates sat for the examinations, representing a 97.80 per cent attendance rate.
- 97,863 candidates were graded, according to the figure used for the reported 81.24 per cent pass rate.
- 79,503 candidates obtained five credits and above, including English Language and Mathematics.
- 89,580 candidates obtained five credits and above, with or without English Language and Mathematics.
- 24,128 candidates were certified as craftsmen.
- 847 candidates were involved in examination malpractice, with 1,554 incidents recorded.

NABTEB said the results were released 52 days after the last examination paper, which the registrar presented as evidence of faster result processing.

For candidates who achieved the required credits, the result provides formal recognition of their performance in business and technical education.

The significance goes beyond a percentage on a results sheet. NBC and NTC qualifications are part of Nigeria's technical and vocational education system, meaning successful candidates can use their qualifications as they pursue further training or enter employment and skilled occupations.

The 81.24 per cent figure therefore represents a large number of individual candidates who met the specified five-credit benchmark.

At the same time, the result shows that not every candidate achieved that threshold. About 18.76 per cent of the graded candidates did not obtain five credits including English and Mathematics.

That distinction is important because a headline pass rate does not mean that every candidate passed every subject or achieved the same level of performance.

The 2026 result represents a substantial increase from the previous year's reported performance.

NABTEB said 61,104 candidates, or 68.18 per cent, obtained five credits and above including English and Mathematics in the 2025 examination.

In 2026, that number rose to 79,503 candidates, or 81.24 per cent.

That is an increase of about 13 percentage points in the reported five-credit benchmark.

The registrar attributed the improvement to the combined efforts of candidates, teachers, schools, parents and the wider education system.

Examination malpractice remains an issue

While the overall results showed improvement, NABTEB also reported cases of examination malpractice.

The board identified 847 candidates in connection with 1,554 incidents, representing 1.55 per cent of candidates who sat for the examination.

NABTEB said the figure was lower than the previous year's level and maintained that measures introduced to combat malpractice were producing results.

For students and their families, the warning is straightforward: candidates should rely only on legitimately awarded results. NABTEB specifically warned against people claiming that they can alter or upgrade examination results.

The board said no individual has the authority to change a legitimately awarded result.

The results matter to more than the candidates themselves.

Parents have invested time and money in their children's education, while teachers and schools are assessed partly through the performance of the students they prepare.

The result also provides another indication of how students are performing within Nigeria's technical and business education system.

The increase from 68.18 per cent to 81.24 per cent is encouraging according to NABTEB, although the figures alone do not explain precisely why performance improved.

There is no evidence in the announcement that a single factor caused the increase.

Candidates are expected to use NABTEB's official result-checking platform to access their results.

The board has also warned candidates not to pay individuals who claim they can upgrade or alter their results.

For students who did not meet their desired grades, the published pass-rate figure does not by itself provide information about individual options or whether a particular candidate qualifies for further education or another examination. Those decisions depend on the candidate's actual subjects and grades.

For the successful candidates, the immediate step is to obtain and retain their official results as they proceed with their next stage of education, training or employment.

The 2026 results ultimately provide two clear messages: more candidates reached the five-credit benchmark than in 2025, while the board continues to face the separate challenge of examination malpractice.