Barely 24 hours after announcing a sharp increase in the registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), the Federal Government has suspended the proposed hike and ordered fresh consultations with key stakeholders.
The decision comes after widespread public criticism greeted the announcement on July 12 that candidates would pay a uniform ₦50,000 registration fee for both WAEC and NECO examinations from 2027, replacing the current fees of about ₦27,000 for WAEC and ₦30,000 for NECO.
In a statement dated July 13, 2026, the Federal Ministry of Education said it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations before any final decision is taken.
The ministry explained that the suspension followed concerns and constructive feedback from Nigerians, adding that the government remained committed to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
According to the statement, “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 (SSCE).”
It further stated that “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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken.”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 ministry noted that while the proposed increase was driven by rising operational costs associated with conducting national examinations, the government acknowledged the need to ensure that any policy affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families is carefully considered.
According to the statement, the existing examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services required to safeguard the integrity and credibility of public examinations.
The statement disclosed that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, had directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive governance.
It stated: “Nevertheless, 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 said the fresh review process would involve extensive consultations with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners.
According to the statement, the engagement is intended to ensure that “any future decision is fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to prevailing realities while safeguarding access to education.”
It stressed that the proposed review of examination registration fees “will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process.”
Reassuring Nigerians, the ministry said the welfare of students and equitable access to quality education remain central to the Tinubu administration’s education agenda.
“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 statement added.
