BREAKING: Amidst Backlash, Nigerian Government Suspends N50000 WAEC And NECO Fees Hike
The federal government has announced the suspension of the proposed 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.
The Genius Media Nigeria reports that the decision was announced in a statement on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education.
The statement, signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations of the Ministry, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension followed concerns and feedback from members of the public.
She added that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before any final decision is taken.
The government stated that the suspension followed concerns and feedback from members of the public.
“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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.
The Ministry clarified that the proposed fee review was driven by rising costs of conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite rising operational expenses.
It cited higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the credibility of public examinations.
The statement said the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive and evidence-based 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,” it said.
It added that consultations would be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners before any decision is reached.
Accordingly, the ministry said the proposed review of examination registration fees would not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process is concluded.
The Federal Ministry of Education reiterated that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda and pledged to keep the public informed throughout the consultation process.
Prior to the fee hike, which has now been reversed, the initial registration fee for WAEC and NECO for secondary school candidates was ₦27,500.
