The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration 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 concerns from stakeholders.
The decision was announced on Monday in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade. According to the ministry, the proposal has been put on hold to allow for broader consultations before any final decision is taken.
The statement disclosed that the letter notifying stakeholders of the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been officially withdrawn. The ministry explained that the withdrawal became necessary after receiving feedback from parents, education stakeholders, labour groups, school administrators and members of the public who expressed concerns over the impact of the increase on families already facing economic challenges.
The ministry stressed that no changes would be made to the current registration fees until a comprehensive review of the proposal is completed and all relevant parties have been consulted.
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According to the statement, the proposed fee adjustment was initially considered due to the rising costs associated with conducting credible national examinations across the country. It noted that registration fees for WAEC and NECO have remained largely unchanged for several years despite significant increases in operational expenses.
The ministry listed several factors contributing to the higher cost of organising the examinations, including transportation and logistics, security arrangements, printing of examination materials, deployment of technology, quality assurance processes and other administrative services necessary to ensure the integrity of the examination system.
It further revealed that 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.
The statement explained that the government believes major policy decisions affecting millions of Nigerian students and their families should only be implemented after extensive engagement with all affected stakeholders.
As part of the consultation process, the Federal Ministry of Education said it will hold discussions with examination bodies, state ministries of education, public and private school owners, school administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education experts and other critical stakeholders.
The ministry noted that the consultations are intended to ensure that any future decision on examination fees reflects the realities of the education sector while protecting students’ access to affordable education.
It therefore assured candidates preparing for the 2027 examinations that the proposed fee review would not take effect until the consultation process has been completed and a final decision is announced.
The Federal Ministry of Education reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting equitable access to quality education and ensuring that policy decisions are guided by fairness, transparency and the best interests of Nigerian students.
Before the proposed increase was suspended, the registration fee for both WAEC and NECO examinations for senior secondary school candidates stood at ₦27,500. The ministry pledged to keep Nigerians informed as consultations progress and promised that any future decision would be communicated openly after all stakeholders have been adequately engaged.
