The National Examinations Council (NECO) has approved an extension of the Normal Registration period for the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), giving schools a final window to complete candidate registration before 12 midnight on Saturday, 4 April 2026, after which a late fee of ₦5,000 per candidate will apply immediately.

NECO confirmed that the extension was necessitated by concerns raised by State Coordinators, particularly regarding newly accredited BECE schools that still needed to register their candidates. The additional window covers both old and newly accredited BECE schools, and the council expects all institutions to take full advantage of the time available to avoid incurring additional costs.

Schools are advised that the Normal Registration period ends at exactly 12 midnight on Saturday, 4 April 2026. The Late Registration window that follows is not an extension of normal registration but a separate phase entirely, and it attracts an additional charge of ₦5,000 per candidate.

Of critical importance is the final website closure date, which remains unchanged. The NECO registration portal will shut at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 8 April 2026. The council has confirmed that no further extension will be granted after that date, meaning any school that fails to complete registration before the portal closes will be unable to register its candidates at all.

NECO urged all BECE schools to complete candidate registration without delay, stressing that the extension was designed specifically to accommodate newly accredited institutions that received recognition close to the registration window.