The 2026 NECO GCE (SSCE External) exam runs from Wednesday 4 November to Saturday 21 November 2026. That is 16 exam days, 39 papers across 16 subjects, with objective papers mostly at 10:00 am and essay papers straight after. The official timetable is NECO’s one-page PDF, reproduced in full below. Source: neco.gov.ng, 2026 SSCE External Examination Timetable (signed by the Director, Registration; checked 26 October 2026).
Registration (as of 26 October 2026): normal registration on neco.gov.ng closed on 26 October 2026. Late registration runs from 27 October to 3 November 2026 and costs ₦5,000 extra. Already registered? Print your photocard from the portal; you cannot sit any paper without it.
NECO GCE 2026 timetable (4 – 21 November 2026)
Times are as printed by NECO. Paper III is the objective paper, Paper II the essay/theory paper and Paper I the alternative to practical (Geography’s Paper I is the practical).
| Date | Code | Subject and paper | Duration | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 4th November | 3033 | Marketing Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am |
| 3032 | Marketing Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 40 mins | 11:00 am – 12:40 pm | |
| 2003 | Agricultural Science Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Thursday 5th November | 2002 | Agricultural Science Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 30 mins | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
| 2001 | Agricultural Science Paper I (Alternative to Practical) | 1 hr 30 mins | 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm | |
| 3013 | Commerce Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Friday 6th November | 3012 | Commerce Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 40 mins | 11:00 am – 12:40 pm |
| 1003 | Civic Education Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Saturday 7th November | 1002 | Civic Education Paper II (Essay) | 2 hrs | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm |
| 3003 | Accounting Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr 20 mins | 10:00 am – 11:20 am | |
| Monday 9th November | 3002 | Accounting Paper II (Theory & Practice) | 2 hrs 30 mins | 11:20 am – 1:50 pm |
| 2063 | Geography Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Tuesday 10th November | 2061 | Geography Paper I (Practical) | 1 hr 30 mins | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
| 2062 | Geography Paper II (Essay) | 2 hrs | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | |
| 4093 | Literature in English Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Wednesday 11th November | 4094 | Literature in English Paper IV (Prose) | 2 hrs | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm |
| 4092 | Literature in English Paper II (Drama & Poetry) | 1 hr 15 mins | 2:00 pm – 3:15 pm | |
| 2023 | Chemistry Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Thursday 12th November | 2022 | Chemistry Paper II (Essay) | 2 hrs | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm |
| 2021 | Chemistry Paper I (Alternative to Practical) | 2 hrs | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | |
| 4083 | Islamic Studies Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Friday 13th November | 4082 | Islamic Studies Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 30 mins | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
| 1013 | English Language Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Saturday 14th November | 1012 | English Language Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 45 mins | 11:15 am – 1:00 pm |
| 1014 | English Language Paper IV (Test of Orals) | 45 mins | 1:15 pm – 2:00 pm | |
| 2093 | Physics Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr 15 mins | 10:00 am – 11:15 am | |
| Monday 16th November | 2092 | Physics Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 45 mins | 11:15 am – 1:00 pm |
| 2091 | Physics Paper I (Alternative to Practical) | 2 hrs 45 mins | 2:00 pm – 4:45 pm | |
| 3023 | Economics Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Tuesday 17th November | 3022 | Economics Paper II (Essay) | 2 hrs | 11:00 am – 1:00 pm |
| 1023 | General Mathematics Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr 45 mins | 10:00 am – 11:45 am | |
| Wednesday 18th November | 1022 | General Mathematics Paper II (Essay) | 2 hrs 30 mins | 12:00 noon – 2:30 pm |
| 2013 | Biology Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Thursday 19th November | 2012 | Biology Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 30 mins | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
| 2011 | Biology Paper I (Alternative to Practical) | 2 hrs | 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm | |
| 4023 | Christian Religious Studies Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Friday 20th November | 4022 | Christian Religious Studies Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 30 mins | 11:00 am – 12:30 pm |
| 4043 | Government Paper III (Objective) | 1 hr | 10:00 am – 11:00 am | |
| Saturday 21st November | 4042 | Government Paper II (Essay) | 1 hr 40 mins | 11:00 am – 12:40 pm |
Download the official 2026 NECO GCE timetable (PDF, neco.gov.ng). A phone-friendly copy with a per-subject view is on ext.thenecotimetable.com.
Exam-day rules NECO printed on the timetable
- Your photocard is mandatory for identification. No photocard, no exam.
- Be seated 30 minutes before each paper starts.
- If the time on the question paper differs from this timetable, the question paper’s time applies.
- Albino and blind candidates get 30 minutes extra on every paper.
- A scientific calculator is allowed.
- Prohibited in the hall: programmable calculators, mobile phones, iPads, tablets, smart watches, smart glasses and smart pens. Leave them at home; a phone found on you is treated as malpractice.
Three things candidates get wrong every year
- Two papers in one morning. On most days the objective paper ends and the essay paper starts within minutes (English on Saturday 14 November has three sittings: objective, essay, then orals at 1:15 pm). Eat before you come; there is no real break.
- Afternoon papers. Agricultural Science, Geography, Literature, Chemistry, Physics and Biology each have a 2:00 pm paper on the same day as their morning papers. Check the “Time” column, not just the date.
- Subject not on the list? Only the 16 subjects above are on NECO’s 2026 External timetable. If you registered for something else, confirm with your NECO state office before the exam starts.
Results: NECO releases External results on results.neco.gov.ng; you check with a result token. Our NECO result checking guide covers the token price and the steps.
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