Last updated 26 October 2026. Facts checked against neco.gov.ng.
Registration for the 2027 NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal has started, NECO announced on its website. You do not register yourself: your school registers you as an SS3 candidate. This week, give your school your National Identification Number (NIN) and your final subject list, and ask when it will take your photograph and fingerprints.
NECO has not yet published the 2027 registration guidelines, so the closing date is not out. This page is updated when NECO publishes it.
NECO 2027 registration at a glance
| Registration open? | Yes. NECO’s homepage says registration for the 2027 SSCE Internal “has commenced”. NECO gave no start date. |
|---|---|
| Who registers you | Your school. The Internal SSCE is for SS3 students only. |
| Registration fee | ₦30,000 per candidate on NECO’s current fee list. No 2027 guideline yet to confirm it. |
| Late registration | ₦5,000 extra per candidate (NECO fee list) |
| Closing date | Not yet published by NECO |
| Exam dates | Not yet published. The 2026 Internal ran from 15 June to 23 July 2026. |
Who can register for the NECO 2027 Internal SSCE
Only students in their final year of senior school (SS3) can be registered, according to NECO’s 2026 registration guidelines. The Internal SSCE is for school-based candidates in Nigeria and overseas. It is not for private candidates.
NECO also bars schools from admitting or transferring candidates into SS3 from another school. If you are out of school, sit the November/December SSCE External (GCE) instead.
How much is NECO 2027 registration?
NECO’s fees page lists the SSCE Internal registration fee at ₦30,000 per candidate (payment code 8201). That is the same figure as in the 2026 registration guidelines, and it includes the four-figure mathematical table and a waterproof certificate jacket. NECO says all fees are subject to change, and it has not issued the 2027 guidelines that would confirm this figure.
| Item (NECO fee list) | Amount |
|---|---|
| Registration fee, per candidate | ₦30,000 |
| Late registration, extra per candidate | ₦5,000 |
| Correcting biodata after upload (“non-validation”), per candidate | ₦10,000 |
| Unviable centre fee (school with fewer than 20 candidates) | ₦70,000 |
Your school pays NECO through its school portal on Remita. Stamp duty and Remita charges are added on top, and NECO does not refund registration fees once paid (2026 guidelines). Your school may charge you more than ₦30,000 to cover its own costs, so ask for a breakdown. Pay through your school, never to an individual who says they can register you with NECO directly.
When does NECO 2027 Internal registration close?
NECO has not published the 2027 closing date. This page is updated when it does.
For comparison, last year’s dates from NECO’s 2026 guidelines were:
- Normal registration: Monday, 19 January 2026 to Monday, 25 May 2026
- Late registration (₦5,000 extra): Tuesday, 26 May to Friday, 29 May 2026
- No extension was allowed
The 2027 dates may be different. Do not plan around last year’s deadline.
What your school needs from you
NECO has not released the 2027 guidelines yet. Under the 2026 guidelines, schools needed the following from each candidate:
- Your NIN. It is compulsory. If you do not have one, enrol now; registration cannot go through without it.
- A passport photograph in school uniform. Your school captures it in NECO’s offline registration app.
- Your subjects. You sit at least 8 and at most 9 subjects, including the 4 compulsory cross-cutting subjects, according to NECO’s SSCE Internal page. Settle your list before your data is uploaded.
- Your fingerprints. All ten fingers are captured. Nobody may capture them for you. A candidate whose fingerprints do not match on exam day is treated as an impersonator and refused entry.
- A check of your details. Your school prints a photocard for you to confirm your name, NIN, photograph, date of birth, gender, state, local government area and subjects. Report any error at once, then sign the validation list.
After your school pays, it uploads your data and you get a registration number. Keep the final photocard that carries it. You need it for identification at every paper.
Frequently asked questions
Can I register for NECO 2027 myself?
No, not for the Internal SSCE. Only your school can register you, and only as an SS3 student. Private candidates register for the SSCE External (GCE), which holds in November and December.
How much is NECO 2027 registration?
NECO’s current fee list shows ₦30,000 per candidate, with ₦5,000 extra for late registration. NECO has not yet confirmed the 2027 figure in its guidelines. Your school may add its own charges.
When does NECO 2027 internal registration close?
NECO has not announced it. In 2026, normal registration closed on 25 May and late registration on 29 May.
When will the NECO 2027 exam start?
NECO has not released the 2027 timetable. The 2026 Internal SSCE ran from 15 June to 23 July 2026.
Sitting the GCE instead?
If you are an out-of-school candidate, the November/December SSCE External is your exam. Dates, registration and the timetable are on ext.thenecotimetable.com.
The NECO 2027 SSCE Internal timetable will be on our home page, published when NECO releases it.
Sources
- NECO homepage, 2027 SSCE Internal registration announcement: neco.gov.ng
- NECO SSCE Internal page (subjects, registration steps): neco.gov.ng/exams/ssce-internal
- NECO fees and payment codes: neco.gov.ng/payment
- NECO 2026 SSCE Internal registration guidelines (PDF): neco.gov.ng/2026 GUIDELINES.pdf
This site is not NECO. For questions about your registration, ask your school or your NECO state office.