Nasarawa’s Free NECO Policy Brings Hope for Students, Especially Girls

Nasarawa State is witnessing a quiet education revolution as Governor Abdullahi Sule approved the full payment of 2025 NECO fees for over 24,000 students. The move, announced by Education Commissioner Dr. John D.W. Mamman, comes after the state’s impressive showing in the 2024 NECO exams where Nasarawa ranked 9th nationally and 2nd in the North-Central zone.
For many families battling poverty, exam fees have long stood between their children and a better future. Girls, in particular, often bore the worst of it, forced to drop out early or married off before finishing school. Now, the policy is driving a surge in enrollment and offering new hope, especially for young girls who are often first to be denied education in hard times.
The numbers tell a bigger story: Nasarawa’s female students ranked 7th nationwide in NECO’s 2024 results. Beyond grades, the low rate of exam malpractice—ranking 35th out of 36 states—signals a growing culture of academic integrity.
And Sule’s administration is not stopping at free exams. Through the ₦12 billion AGILE project, Nasarawa is investing heavily in school infrastructure. Over 690 secondary schools will get upgrades, including gender-sensitive toilets, perimeter fencing, boreholes, and the construction of 30 new schools, closing the gaps that often force girls to drop out.
Meanwhile, NECO’s gradual shift to computer-based testing from 2025 signals that Nasarawa students will not just have access, but also be equipped for the future.
For a state that once struggled with low enrollment and gender disparity, these steps are more than reforms—they are a lifeline. Governor Sule’s commitment is rewriting the narrative, making it clear that in Nasarawa, no child, especially no girl, should be left behind again.