The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in WAEC NECO fees for candidates sitting the 2027 Senior School Certificate Examinations, pending broader consultations with education stakeholders across the country. The decision follows growing public concern over the planned upward review of examination registration charges, with the Ministry of Education stating that no new fee structure will be implemented until a comprehensive review is completed.
In a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, the ministry confirmed that the June 18, 2026 letter communicating the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn.
According to the statement, signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the suspension was prompted by feedback received from members of the public after the proposal was announced. The ministry said the withdrawal would allow sufficient time for wider engagement with stakeholders before any final decision is reached.
The ministry explained that the proposed review of WAEC NECO fees was informed by the increasing cost of organising national examinations.
It noted that examination registration charges have remained largely unchanged for several years despite rising expenses associated with logistics, security, printing examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other operational requirements needed to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
According to the ministry, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold as part of the Federal Government’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
The ministry said consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school owners and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other relevant partners before any revised fee structure is considered. It stressed that the proposed registration fee adjustment would not take effect until the consultation process is completed.
Before the suspension, the Federal Government had approved a proposed registration fee of N50,000 for both the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination beginning in 2027. The proposal represented an increase from the existing N27,500, amounting to an approximately 82 per cent rise in examination fees.
The approval followed a request from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for an upward review of examination charges. However, the proposal attracted criticism from several stakeholders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who expressed concerns over the financial burden on Nigerian families.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to education and responsible policymaking remain priorities of the Federal Government. It assured the public that updates would be provided throughout the consultation process and maintained that any future decision regarding WAEC NECO fees would reflect the outcome of engagements with all relevant stakeholders.
