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From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) has commenced the 2026 selection and placement of qualified candidates into Federal and State Technical Colleges nationwide.
NABTEB said the exercise reaffirms the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
The three-day exercise held in Abuja is expected to place successful candidates who sat the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) into technical colleges across the country in line with the admission guidelines approved by the Federal Ministry of Education.
Speaking at the opening of the exercise, NABTEB’s registrar and chief executive officer, Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, described the placement exercise as one of the most critical stages of the admission process, saying it would ensure that qualified candidates are admitted through a transparent, merit-based and equitable process.
He disclosed that 15,290 candidates registered for the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination, while 13,848 eventually sat for the examination conducted in 34 Federal Technical Colleges and 168 State Technical Colleges across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
He said 10,426 candidates, representing 75.29 percent, scored 50 percent and above, while 5,708 candidates, representing 41.22 percent obtained scores of 70 percent and above.
Mohammed said the selection exercise would ensure that qualified candidates are offered admission based on merit, available vacancies, trade preferences, catchment considerations where applicable and other Federal Government’s admission guidelines. “The success of the National Common Entrance Examination can only be fully realised when it is followed by a transparent, credible and objective selection and placement process,” he said.
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He urged members of the selection committee to carry out their responsibilities with integrity, professionalism and impartiality, stressing that every decision should guarantee equal opportunities for qualified Nigerian children. The registrar also announced that the 2026 entrance examination recorded a major milestone in NABTEB’s digital transformation drive, with the successful deployment of a Computer-Based Examination (CBE) for the first time.
He said the computer-based examination results were processed and released within 72 hours, while the conventional paper-and-pencil test results were released within 21 days through the newly developed NABTEB Aptitude Placement Test (NAPAT).
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Director of Technology and Science Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Patricia Oladunni, described the exercise as a vital component of the Federal Government’s efforts to expand access to quality technical education and equip young Nigerians with employable skills.
She charged all stakeholders to ensure that the placement process was conducted with transparency, fairness and professionalism so that only qualified candidates secure admission.
Oladunni also announced that the Minister had directed a nationwide validation of student enrolment figures and an assessment of workshop facilities in all Federal Technical Colleges.
According to her, the exercise would provide accurate data to guide the immediate distribution of workshop stools to the colleges pending the Federal Government’s comprehensive rehabilitation of workshops and the supply of modern tools and equipment.
She further disclosed that the Minister had reviewed tuition and other institutional charges in Federal Technical Colleges to eliminate financial barriers that could discourage students from pursuing technical education.
She said the intervention was designed to encourage greater enrolment in TVET programmes and support Nigerian youths in acquiring industry-relevant skills.
