FG Suspends Proposed ₦50,000 WAEC, NECO Registration Fee Hike After Public Outcry

The Federal Government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, pending wider consultations with stakeholders.

The decision was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which confirmed that its earlier letter dated June 18, 2026, conveying the proposed fee adjustment, had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before any final decision is reached.

The statement, signed by the ministry's Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension followed 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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken," the statement read.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 ministry explained that the proposed fee review was necessitated by the rising cost of conducting public examinations, noting that examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.

According to the ministry, growing costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services informed the proposal.

It added that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government's commitment to transparent, inclusive 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 and administrators, parents' associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners before any decision is made.

It stressed that the proposed review of examination registration fees would not take effect until the consultation process is completed.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to students' welfare and equitable access to quality education, the ministry pledged to keep the public informed throughout the consultation process.

The suspension comes weeks after the Federal Government approved a new ₦50,000 registration fee for WAEC and NECO examinations beginning in 2027, representing an 82 per cent increase from the current ₦27,500.

The approval, contained in a June 18, 2026, letter signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, followed a request by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for an upward review of examination fees.

The proposed increase had drawn widespread criticism from stakeholders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who urged the Federal Government to reconsider the decision in view of the prevailing economic hardship facing Nigerian families.