The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in WAEC NECO fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination, following widespread public reactions and calls for broader engagement. The decision was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the official letter dated June 18, 2026, which communicated the proposed adjustment in examination registration fees, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and consultations with key stakeholders before any final decision is reached.
The ministry explained that the suspension followed concerns raised by Nigerians after news of the proposed increase became public. It stated that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
Officials said the decision reflects the government’s resolve to ensure that policies affecting students, parents and the education sector receive adequate consultation before implementation.
Before the suspension, the ministry had justified the proposed WAEC NECO fees review by pointing to the increasing cost of organising national examinations. According to the ministry, examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite rising expenses associated with logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other operational requirements needed to maintain the integrity of public examinations.
The Federal Ministry of Education said consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, school administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders. It stressed that no adjustment to examination registration fees would take effect until the consultation process is completed and all relevant contributions have been considered. The ministry also pledged to keep members of the public informed throughout the review process.
The proposed adjustment had earlier approved a new registration fee of ₦50,000 for WAEC and NECO examinations beginning in 2027, replacing the previous fee of ₦27,500. The proposal represented an increase of approximately 82 per cent. The approval, contained in a June 18, 2026, communication signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, followed a request from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) for an upward review of examination fees.
The announcement drew criticism from several groups, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who expressed concerns about the financial burden the increase would place on families.
Despite suspending the proposal, the ministry reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda. It added that any future decision on WAEC NECO fees would only be taken after extensive consultations with stakeholders and careful consideration of the public interest.
