FG suspends planned WAEC, NECO registration fee hike after public outcry

The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), following widespread public criticism over the planned adjustment.

The decision was announced on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which said it had withdrawn its earlier letter dated June 18, 2026, proposing a review of examination registration fees.

According to the ministry, the suspension is intended to allow for wider consultations with education stakeholders before any final decision is taken, underscoring the government’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.

The ministry explained that although the proposal was driven by the rising cost of conducting credible public examinations, feedback from parents, students, school owners, labour unions and other stakeholders made it necessary to pause implementation and seek broader consensus.

It noted that the cost of organising national examinations has increased significantly in recent years due to inflation and higher operational expenses, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance, supervision, transportation and other critical services required to maintain the integrity of the examinations.

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Officials said the existing registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite these mounting costs, prompting discussions on the need for a review to ensure the long-term sustainability of the examination system.

Reports had indicated that the proposed adjustment would have increased the registration fee for both WAEC and NECO examinations to about ₦50,000 per candidate, a development that generated widespread concern among Nigerians who argued that many families are already struggling with the rising cost of living.

Responding to the public reaction, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended pending extensive consultations with critical stakeholders across the education sector.

The ministry said the decision demonstrates the Federal Government’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of students and their families are carefully reviewed and reflect the country’s collective interest.

As part of the consultation process, the ministry will engage the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), the National Examinations Council (NECO), state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education experts and other relevant stakeholders.

The consultations are expected to produce recommendations that strike a balance between sustaining the quality and credibility of national examinations and ensuring that registration fees remain affordable for Nigerian families.

The ministry stressed that no increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees will take effect until the consultation process is completed and the Federal Government reaches a final decision.

It reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting students’ welfare, expanding access to quality education and implementing reforms that support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector.

The ministry also thanked Nigerians for their constructive feedback and assured the public that updates would be provided throughout the consultation process.

FG suspends planned WAEC, NECO registration fee hike after public outcry

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