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 criticism from parents, education stakeholders and opposition figures.
The decision effectively puts on hold an earlier approval that would have raised the registration fee from ₦27,500 to ₦50,000 per candidate from the 2027 examination cycle, representing an 82 per cent increase.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the suspension in a statement on Monday, saying the letter dated 18 June 2026, conveying the proposed fee adjustment, had been withdrawn to allow for broader consultations before any final decision is taken.
The Ministry said the proposal was initially informed by the rising cost of conducting public examinations, noting that examination registration fees had remained largely unchanged for years despite increasing operational expenses.
It identified logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance among the major factors driving the proposed review.
According to the statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, ordered that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive 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 statement said.
“This decision underscores the Ministry’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families are carefully considered, socially responsive, and reflect the collective interest of the nation.”
The Ministry said extensive consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organized labor, and other education stakeholders before any decision is reached.
According to the statement, “Accordingly, the proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process.
“The Federal Ministry of Education reassures Nigerians that the welfare of students, equitable access to quality education and responsible policy decisions remain at the heart of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for the education sector.
“The Ministry appreciates the understanding, patience and continued support of all stakeholders and remains committed to keeping the public fully informed throughout the consultation process.”
The suspension comes barely days after the Ministry confirmed that the Federal Government had approved a uniform registration fee of ₦50,000 for both WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations from 2027.
In a circular dated 18 June and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, the ministry said the approval followed a request by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for an upward review of examination fees.
The Ministry explained that the decision was reached following a 31 March 2026 meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, during which the need to review examination fees was discussed.
The circular stated: “You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the honourable minister of education on 31 March, 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.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the honourable minister of education’s approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira (N50,000.00) only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027.”
The Ministry had also directed that the decision be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.
The planned fee hike sparked widespread reactions across the country, with many parents, education advocates and opposition politicians warning that the increase would place an additional financial burden on families already struggling with the rising cost of living and could deny many children from low-income households access to secondary school certificate examinations.
With Monday’s announcement, the Federal Government has formally withdrawn the earlier approval pending the outcome of consultations with stakeholders.
