FG suspends proposed WAEC, NECO examination fee hike

The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, pending broader consultations with key education stakeholders.

The decision was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which confirmed that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn.

In the statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the ministry said the proposal, dated 18 June 2026, had been suspended to allow for a comprehensive review.

According to the ministry, the decision followed widespread concerns and feedback from members of the public.

“The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement read.

The Federal Government had earlier approved N50,000 as the proposed registration fee for WAEC and NECO examinations from 2027, representing an 82 per cent increase from the previous fee of N27,500.

The approval, announced in a 18 June 2026 statement signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of examination fees.

The proposal attracted criticism from several groups, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who opposed the planned increase.

Why the increase was proposed

The ministry explained that the proposed fee adjustment was necessitated by rising costs associated with conducting national examinations.

It noted that examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.

According to the ministry, higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services informed the proposed review.

Minister orders wider consultations

The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.

“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” the ministry stated.

The ministry said consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, school administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners before any decision is reached.

It added that the proposed fee review would not take effect until the consultation process is concluded.

The ministry reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda.