FG raises WAEC, NECO SSCE registration fee by 82% to N50,000 from 2027

The Federal Government (FG) has approved a new registration fee of N50,000 for candidates sitting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), with the new rate taking effect from the 2027 examination cycle.

The approval marks an 82 per cent increase from the current N27,500 registration fee and establishes a uniform examination fee for candidates taking the two senior secondary school examinations across the country.

The decision was conveyed in a statement dated June 18, 2026, signed by Adeniji Ibrahim, Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education.

According to the ministry, the approval followed a formal request by WAEC for an upward review of examination fees ahead of the 2027 examinations due to the rising cost of conducting nationwide examinations.

Ibrahim explained that the approval was based on resolutions reached during a meeting between the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, and heads of examination bodies on March 31, 2026, where stakeholders deliberated on the need to review examination charges in line with prevailing economic realities.

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He said the minister also directed WAEC and NECO to harmonise their registration fees so that candidates would pay the same amount regardless of the examination body.

According to the statement, “You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Honourable Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE.” It added: “Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of N50,000 only as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal) 2027.”

The ministry directed both examination bodies to communicate the new fee to state ministries of education, school administrators, principals and other relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate awareness and seamless implementation before the 2027 examination period.

Confirming the development, the Ministry of Education’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, said the approval had been granted after consultations within the ministry. She confirmed that the upward review had received official approval and would be implemented as scheduled.

The Federal Government explained that the fee review became necessary because of the increasing cost of organising national examinations. According to education officials, examination bodies have faced significantly higher expenses in recent years, including the cost of printing examination materials, transporting sensitive documents, deploying security personnel, paying supervisors and examiners, expanding digital infrastructure, improving logistics and maintaining the integrity of examinations across Nigeria.

Officials said the harmonised fee is expected to help WAEC and NECO sustain the quality, credibility and security of public examinations while eliminating disparities in registration charges between the two examination bodies.

The fee increase also comes as part of broader reforms being implemented by the Federal Government to modernise Nigeria’s examination system. The government has announced plans to fully transition WAEC and NECO examinations to Computer-Based Testing (CBT), strengthen measures against examination malpractice and expand the use of digital technology to improve examination administration, result processing and overall efficiency. The Ministry of Education has consistently maintained that these reforms are aimed at improving transparency, enhancing the credibility of public examinations and aligning Nigeria’s assessment system with international best practices.

The announcement is expected to generate mixed reactions among parents, students, school owners and other education stakeholders. While supporters argue that the increase reflects inflation and the rising cost of administering credible nationwide examinations, critics are likely to express concern over the additional financial burden on families already grappling with the country’s high cost of living.

Education advocates have also urged the Federal Government to introduce more scholarships, examination subsidies and financial support programmes to ensure that students from low-income families are not denied the opportunity to sit for the WAEC and NECO SSCE because of financial constraints.

Unless there is a policy reversal, all candidates registering for the 2027 WAEC and NECO SSCE examinations will pay the new N50,000 registration fee under the harmonised pricing structure approved by the Federal Government.

FG raises WAEC, NECO SSCE registration fee by 82% to N50,000 from 2027

NANS Rejects Hike in WAEC, NECO Examination Fees, Demands Immediate Reversal

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has rejected the Federal Ministry of Education’s approval of an upward review of registration fees for examinations conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), describing the decision as insensitive and anti-student.

In a statement issued on Saturday by the National Public Relations Officer of NANS, Comrade Samson Adeyemi, the students’ body called for the immediate reversal of the fee increase, warning that the policy would deny thousands of financially disadvantaged students access to secondary school certificate examinations.

NANS said the increase comes at a time when many Nigerian families are struggling with rising inflation, high transportation costs, food insecurity and other economic challenges.

According to the association, increasing examination registration fees without adequate consultation with key stakeholders places an unbearable financial burden on parents and students, particularly those in low-income and rural communities.

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The students’ body argued that access to education is a fundamental right and should not be made more difficult through policies that further widen the gap between the rich and the poor.

“Nigerian students should not be made to bear the consequences of the country’s economic difficulties through higher examination fees. Education remains one of the most effective tools for national development and social mobility, and government policies should encourage, not discourage, access to it,” the statement said.

NANS urged the Federal Government to prioritise investment in education by providing greater financial support to examination bodies rather than transferring operational costs to candidates and their families.

The association also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Minister of Education to intervene by reversing the approval of the new fees in the interest of millions of Nigerian students.

While reaffirming its commitment to protecting the rights and welfare of students nationwide, NANS warned that it would not hesitate to mobilise democratic and lawful actions should the government fail to rescind the decision.

The association called on civil society organisations, parents, education stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to join its demand for affordable access to education, insisting that no student should be denied the opportunity to sit for WAEC or NECO examinations because of financial hardship.

The Federal Ministry of Education is yet to issue a detailed response to NANS’ objection as of the time of filing this report.

NANS Rejects Hike in WAEC, NECO Examination Fees, Demands Immediate Reversal

Tinubu upgrades Federal Polytechnic to specialised university

President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa into the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa, in a major boost to technical education, mining research and Nigeria’s drive to unlock the full economic potential of its solid minerals sector.

The approval, announced on Friday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, marks another milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition higher education to meet the country’s industrial, technological and economic development needs.

According to the Presidency, the decision followed a proposal by Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District, for the establishment of a specialised federal university that would leverage Nasarawa State’s vast mineral deposits to produce highly skilled professionals capable of driving innovation and sustainable development in the mining industry.

President Tinubu said the new university would become a national centre of excellence dedicated to teaching, research, innovation and manpower development in critical fields such as mining engineering, mineral processing, metallurgy, manufacturing, geosciences, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, robotics and other emerging technologies that are shaping the future of global industrialisation.

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He said the institution would play a strategic role in producing the skilled workforce needed to support Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in the mining sector, promote value addition to the country’s abundant mineral resources and reduce dependence on imported technical expertise.

The President noted that the conversion aligns with the objectives of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on education, innovation, industrialisation, economic diversification and human capital development as pillars of sustainable national growth.

According to him, Nigeria’s vast deposits of lithium, gold, limestone, tin, columbite and several other strategic minerals present enormous opportunities for economic transformation, but these opportunities can only be fully realised through investments in education, research and technology.

“The establishment of this specialised university will strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to develop indigenous expertise in mining and engineering while supporting innovation, industrial growth and sustainable management of the nation’s mineral resources,” the Presidency stated.

To ensure a seamless transition, President Tinubu directed the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant government agencies to begin the legal, administrative and regulatory processes required to transform the polytechnic into a fully operational federal university.

The transition is expected to include curriculum expansion, accreditation of degree programmes, recruitment of additional academic and non-academic staff, upgrading of laboratories and research facilities, as well as the establishment of governance structures in line with the standards of the National Universities Commission.

The approval comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to reposition the solid minerals sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy through increased investment, local processing of mineral resources and technological innovation.

In recent months, the Federal Government has launched several initiatives aimed at strengthening mining education and research, including the Mining Technology and Resource Innovation UniPod at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The initiative is designed to transform Nigerian universities into innovation hubs capable of supporting industrialisation, research commercialisation and entrepreneurship in the mining sector.

The approval also follows the recent commissioning of one of Africa’s largest lithium processing plants in Nasarawa State, a project expected to enhance local value addition, create employment opportunities and position Nigeria as a key player in the global critical minerals value chain.

Education experts say the establishment of the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa will significantly expand access to specialised higher education while strengthening research, innovation and collaboration between academia, government and industry.

The new institution is also expected to attract local and international partnerships, encourage investment in advanced research and produce graduates with the technical skills required to meet the growing demands of Nigeria’s mining, manufacturing, engineering and technology sectors.

Stakeholders have described the conversion as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, noting that specialised universities remain critical to achieving the country’s long-term goals of industrialisation, job creation, technological advancement and economic diversification.

With the presidential approval now secured, the Federal Government is expected to commence the appointment of principal officers, establish the university’s governing council and complete other transitional arrangements necessary for the institution to begin operations as the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa.

The development is expected to further strengthen Nasarawa State’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading mining hubs while providing students with expanded opportunities to acquire world-class education and practical skills in disciplines that are central to the country’s economic future.

Tinubu upgrades Federal Polytechnic to specialised university