15,281 Candidates Register for 2026 Technical College Entrance Exam — NABTEB

The National Business and Technical Examinations Board, NABTEB, announced that 15,281 candidates registered for admission into technical colleges nationwide in 2026.

According to DAILY POST, Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the board, revealed the figure on Saturday, June 13, 2026, while overseeing the National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for technical colleges at the Federal Technical College in Uromi, Esan North‑East Local Government Area of Edo State.

Mohammed noted that the 2026 figure is more than 8,000 lower than the over 24,000 candidates who registered in 2025.

He added that of the 15,281 candidates, 10,626 were male and 4,655 were female.

Enugu State recorded the highest number of candidates, with 1,506, while Zamfara State had the lowest, with only 14 candidates.

The NABTEB chief said the examination, held simultaneously in 203 centres across the country, marks another milestone in the Federal Government’s commitment to strengthening Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).

He further stated that TVET remains a strategic pathway for national development, youth empowerment, skills acquisition, entrepreneurship and economic self‑reliance.

“We are at the Federal Technical College, Uromi, Edo State, for the monitoring of the 2026 National Common Entrance Examination into all technical colleges in Nigeria, which is taking place today across the nation in 203 centres,” he said. “The Federal Technical College, Uromi, happens to be one of the colleges. The assessment in this examination is far better than what we had last year. Last year, this venue was crowded with people who had nothing to do with the examination. They were inside the school premises.”

“For this year, we have jointly agreed with the Federal Ministry of Education, NABTEB and the principals of all the Federal Technical Colleges in Nigeria that anyone who has nothing to do with this examination will not be allowed access to the school premises. That is the level of sanity you are witnessing in the examination today.”

“The examination is credible to me because you saw what happened. Every candidate was allowed to write the examination, which consists of two parts: the paper‑based component and the CBT aspect. That is what we are witnessing now.”

He said the candidates were being examined in 28 trades, including electrical installation and maintenance practice, tiling and cladding, computer hardware and GSM repairs, catering craft practice, fashion design and garment making.

Other trades include welding and fabrication, woodwork, carpentry and joinery, electronics system maintenance, and bricklaying, blocklaying and concreting.

Mohammed assured that the board remains resolute in its determination to uphold the integrity and credibility of all its examinations.

He added that any act capable of compromising the examination process—such as impersonation, examination malpractice, unauthorised possession of examination materials or any form of misconduct—will be dealt with in accordance with existing regulations.

“The National Common Entrance Examination for Technical Colleges provides a unique opportunity for young Nigerians to pursue quality technical and vocational education that equips them with employable skills and competencies required in today’s rapidly evolving world of work,” he said. “The federal government’s renewed emphasis on skills development underscores the strategic importance of technical colleges in producing the skilled workforce necessary for industrial growth and national prosperity.”

In separate interviews, some candidates, including Ali Miracle, James Philip and Njika Grace, expressed optimism that they would pass the examination. The candidates enrolled for mechanical trades, computer hardware repairs and maintenance, and fashion design and garment making, respectively.