Schools that are yet to complete candidate registration for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) have been granted a final opportunity, as the National Examinations Council (NECO) has approved an extension of the Normal Registration period to 12 midnight on Saturday, 4 April 2026.
The extension was granted following concerns raised by State Coordinators, particularly regarding newly accredited BECE schools that still needed to register their candidates. NECO confirmed that the additional window applies to both old and newly accredited BECE schools, giving all institutions time to complete the registration process before the deadline.
Schools are advised to note that the Normal Registration period closes at exactly 12 midnight on Saturday, 4 April 2026. After that deadline, a Late Registration fee of ₦5,000 per candidate will apply immediately. NECO was clear that the Late Registration window is not an extension of normal registration but an entirely separate phase that attracts additional cost.
Importantly, the final website closure date remains unchanged. The NECO registration portal will close at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 8 April 2026, and the council has confirmed that there will be no further extension after that date. Any school that fails to complete registration before the portal closes on 8 April 2026 will be unable to register candidates at all.
NECO urged all BECE schools, both old and new, to use the approved window to complete candidate registration without delay. The extension was designed specifically to accommodate newly accredited schools, and the council expects institutions to take full advantage of the time available rather than risk incurring late fees or missing the final closure date entirely.
The 2026 BECE registration extension underscores NECO's commitment to ensuring broad candidate participation, particularly for schools that received accreditation close to the registration window.
