Nigeria, Sept. 29 -- Only Sokoto State, with 26.82 per cent, performed worse than Akwa Ibom.

The state's 2026 performance also places it as the only Southern Nigerian state among the bottom 10 states.

The nearest Southern states to Akwa Ibom were Rivers, which ranked 22nd with 56.38 per cent, and Enugu, which ranked 25th with 54.52 per cent.

PREMIUM TIMES' analysis of the NECO data shows that Akwa Ibom was also the lowest-performing state in the South-south region, considerably behind its neighbours.

The 2026 results present a pronounced regional divide.

Abia State retained the top position nationally for the second consecutive year, with 81.78 per cent of its candidates meeting the five-credit benchmark.

Ebonyi followed with 81.03 ...