- The National Examination Council (NECO) has introduced the “NECO e-Verify” platform
- The aim is to simplify the verification of results and prevent manipulation and falsification of results conducted by the council
- The portal features landing and unlanding pages with two verification steps
The National Examination Council (NECO) has introduced the “NECO e-Verify” platform to simplify the verification of results and prevent manipulation and falsification of results conducted by the council.
The launch had in attendance officials from the Ministry of Education, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, military, Commission for Colleges of Education, Nigeria Police, National Assembly, and other relevant stakeholders.
Authentication and verification of candidates
The Registrar/Chief Executive of NECO, Prof. Dantani Wushishi, explained this saying that the platform ensures instant authentication of academic and basic information about candidates seeking admission or employment.
According to him,
- “The ‘NECO e-Verify’ is an Online Result Verification solutions that guarantees instant authentication of academic and basic information about prospective candidates for admission and employment into academic institutions and work places respectively,” he explained.
- Previously, all verification requests were processed through NECO headquarters, which caused delays. Hence, the decision to introduce the e-Verify platform was prompted by the increasing demand for result verification by institutions both in Nigeria and abroad.
Nairametrics gathers that between 2020 and 2022, the council received requests for verification from 64 institutions across 37 countries and 72 institutions within Nigeria, in addition to numerous requests from individuals.
Ensuring accuracy of results
According to Wushishi, result verification plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy of academic credentials and aiding institutions and employers in selecting qualified candidates for admission and employment.
He emphasized that the introduction of the “NECO e-Verify” portal brings benefits such as increased confidence, reduced risk, and improved efficiency, providing relief to students, educational institutions, and other stakeholders.
- “Result verification is an important process that helps ensure the accuracy of academic credentials.
- “It is an irrefutable fact that academic institutions and employers of labour, among other agencies, rely on verification of results to help them select the best prospective student for admission and employment purposes.
- “By verifying the authenticity of candidates’ result, academic institutions, employers will be more confident in that they are admitting and hiring persons who have the required qualification for further studies and specific job schedules.
Dr. Akon Eyakenyi, the Deputy Governor of Akwa-Ibom and Chairperson of the occasion, expressed her satisfaction with being part of the history of NECO e-Verify.
She emphasized the importance of full automation of the examination administration process and the adoption of e-learning by schools and institutions. She also highlighted the need for the system to be protected against hackers and unauthorized access, as their activities pose a significant challenge to the modern world.
Mr. David Adejoh, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education, commended NECO for launching the e-Verify platform, stating that it aligns with the ministry’s strategic plan and promotes the use of technology in advancing education in Nigeria.
He emphasized that the portal would facilitate result access and verification for stakeholders worldwide, offering a faster and easier process compared to the current cumbersome method.
Mr. Chris Maiyaki, the acting Executive Secretary of the National University Commission (NUC), congratulated NECO on the introduction of the e-Verify platform. He emphasized the importance of authentic result verification for university admissions and urged NECO to ensure the portal’s durability and protection against manipulation by hackers.
E-verify features
Mr. Sule Onu, an IT expert, explained that the portal features landing and unlanding pages with two verification steps: bulk verification and instant verification.
Individuals need to register with their name, email address, phone number, and password, after which they receive messages on their email and phone for further verification. The process includes a token payment.