The Federal Government has proposed a harmonised timetable for the 2027 external examinations, targeting the release of results by August to enable eligible candidates to begin admission processes into tertiary institutions by September.
The Director, press and public relations of the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo announced the development in a statement on Wednesday.
The proposed schedule covers examinations conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), National Examinations Council (NECO), West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) and National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS).
Under the proposed arrangement, the 2027 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) will hold from March 15 to 25, with results expected to be released in March.
The NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) is scheduled to take place from April 1 to May 14, while the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) will run from May 11 to June 18.
Both NECO and WAEC results are expected to be released in August 2027.
Similarly, NABTEB examinations are proposed to hold from June 1 to July 5, while NBAIS examinations will run from June 10 to July 9, with results from both examination bodies also targeted for release in August.
The proposed timetable is part of the Federal Government’s efforts to improve coordination among examination bodies, minimise clashes in examination schedules and ensure the timely release of results.
To advance the initiative, the Minister of State for Education, Prof. Suwaiba Ahmad, convened a meeting with heads and representatives of the examination bodies at the Federal Ministry of Education headquarters in Abuja.
The meeting focused on aligning examination schedules, reducing timetable conflicts and establishing timelines that would allow results to be processed and released early enough to support tertiary institution admissions.
According to the ministry, the harmonisation initiative aligns with the education reform agenda of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, under the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative (NESRI).
The initiative seeks to promote efficiency, strengthen coordination across the education sector and improve educational outcomes.
The ministry said it would sustain engagements with the examination bodies to ensure compliance with the proposed timelines and strengthen accountability in the conduct of external examinations.
It added that aligning examination schedules and results releases with tertiary admissions would help eligible candidates proceed with the admission process without unnecessary delays.
The proposed arrangement is expected to improve the coordination of Nigeria’s examination calendar and provide candidates, parents and tertiary institutions with a more predictable schedule for planning academic activities.
The Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu, reaffirmed its commitment to implementing education reforms through NESRI to improve efficiency and expand timely access to tertiary education.
