Registrar and chief executive officer of the National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB), Dr. Mohammed Aminu Mohammed, has said the board’s examinations are now on the same standard as those conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), National Examinations Council (NECO) and other national examination bodies.
Dr. Mohammed stated this while monitoring the ongoing NABTEB examinations at Government Technical College, Malali, Kaduna.
He disclosed that over 89,000 candidates were participating in the 2025 NABTEB examinations across the country, a significant increase from over 60,000 candidates recorded in 2024.
According to him, some states have relocated candidates from security-challenged areas to safer locations to ensure smooth conduct of the exams.
Commending the proactive measures taken by the Kaduna State government, Dr. Mohammed praised Governor Uba Sani for providing security support and relocating students from high-risk areas to safer centres. He specifically cited the relocation of candidates from Kajuru local government area to Kaduna city without any formal request from NABTEB.
“I must sincerely commend the Kaduna State government. Without any prompting, the governor ensured that all candidates from Kajuru were safely moved to write their exams in Kaduna city. It’s a commendable effort and an example worthy of emulation by other states,” he said.
He also urged other states facing insecurity to adopt similar strategies, revealing that NABTEB had advised the Zamfara State government to replicate Kaduna’s model by relocating candidates from high-risk rural areas to urban centres.
Dr. Mohammed further described the conduct of the exams at the Kaduna centre as credible and orderly, applauding the dedication of the school’s examination officials.
However, he expressed concern over poor infrastructure at the centre, noting that some students were forced to write their exams while standing or squatting due to a shortage of seats.
“It is worrisome to see students writing exams in such conditions. This kind of situation creates room for malpractice. But I’ve spoken with the Principal, and we are beginning a working relationship to address these issues. By this time next year, I believe this centre will witness significant improvement,” he added.
The principal of Government Technical College, Malali, Mr. Auta Monday, said 169 candidates were registered at the centre this year. He acknowledged the challenges with infrastructure but said the examination process had been smooth.
“So far, the exams have been going smoothly despite our infrastructure challenges. We don’t have enough seats, but the materials arrived on time, and we’ve taken charge of the process,” he stated.
Describing the registrar’s visit as a “blessing,” the principal said it provided valuable direction on innovation and development.
“The advice to establish a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centre in our college is a welcome idea. We’ve also embraced the push to upgrade our computer centre in preparation for future computer-based testing. We won’t miss this opportunity,” he added.
