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13th July 2026
The Federal Government has suspended its 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 (SSCE), following widespread public criticism and calls for a review of the policy.
The decision was announced on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which confirmed that it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 circular that initially approved the upward review of examination fees. According to the ministry, the suspension will remain in place pending broader consultations with key stakeholders across the education sector.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government said it had taken note of the concerns expressed by parents, students, education stakeholders and the general public regarding the proposed increase.
The ministry explained that although the review was prompted by the rising cost of conducting credible public examinations—including logistics, security, printing, technology deployment and quality assurance—it considered it necessary to engage all relevant stakeholders before implementing any new fee structure.
The suspended proposal had sought to introduce a uniform examination registration fee of ₦50,000 per candidate for both WAEC and NECO beginning with the 2027 Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations. The plan would have increased WAEC’s fee from about ₦27,000 and NECO’s from ₦30,000 to ₦50,000, representing a significant rise that drew criticism from many Nigerians amid the country’s prevailing economic hardship.
According to the Ministry of Education, the consultation process will involve examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other critical stakeholders. The government said the engagement is intended to ensure that any future decision balances the need to sustain quality examinations with the financial realities facing Nigerian families.
The ministry reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to expanding access to quality education while maintaining the integrity of public examinations. It added that no new registration fee would take effect until consultations are completed and a final decision is communicated to the public.
The suspension has been welcomed by many parents, students and education advocates, who argued that the proposed increase would have placed an additional financial burden on millions of Nigerian households already grappling with inflation and rising living costs.
