Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, have welcomed the Federal Government’s WAEC fee suspension, describing the decision as a positive response to widespread public concerns over the proposed increase in examination registration charges.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced on Monday that it had suspended the planned 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 broader consultations with stakeholders.
The decision came barely a day after the government announced plans to raise WAEC registration fees from N27,000 to N50,000, while NECO fees were also proposed to increase from N30,000 to N50,000.
The announcement attracted widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders, civil society groups and political leaders, who argued that the increase would place additional financial pressure on Nigerian families already facing economic hardship. In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry of Education explained that the WAEC fee suspension followed public reactions and constructive feedback received after the proposal became public.
The ministry said the proposed adjustment was initially driven by rising operational costs, including logistics, security, printing examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance required to maintain the credibility of national examinations. However, 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.
According to the ministry, consultations will now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders before any final decision is reached.
It stressed that no revised examination fee would take effect until the consultation process is completed. The ministry also reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to education and responsible policymaking remain central to President Bola Tinubu’s education agenda.
Reacting to the development, Atiku Abubakar described the reversal as a victory for millions of Nigerian parents, students and civil society organisations who opposed the proposed increase. In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president argued that making public examinations more expensive would have worsened educational inequality and increased the number of out-of-school children.
He questioned why the government frequently introduces controversial policies before engaging stakeholders, saying effective governance should be based on consultation rather than public backlash. Atiku maintained that policymaking should inspire confidence instead of creating uncertainty for citizens.
Peter Obi also welcomed the WAEC fee suspension, calling it “a victory for the Nigerian people.”
In a post on his official X account, Obi commended the Federal Government for responding to public concerns but insisted that the proposed increase should never have been introduced during a period of economic hardship. According to him, government priorities should focus on expanding access to quality basic education and reducing Nigeria’s out-of-school population instead of increasing financial burdens on students and parents.
He described education as a fundamental right and public good rather than a source of government revenue, while urging authorities to review other policies that negatively affect ordinary Nigerians. The Federal Government has assured the public that it will continue engaging stakeholders before reaching any final decision on future examination registration fees.
