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 opposition to the plan.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced that it has withdrawn its June 18, 2026 directive, which proposed raising the registration fee from ₦27,500 to ₦50,000. According to the ministry, Minister of Education Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa ordered that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
The ministry explained that the proposed increase was initially driven by rising operational costs associated with conducting national examinations, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance. However, it acknowledged the concerns expressed by students, parents, education stakeholders and the general public over the potential financial burden.
As part of the review process, the government said it will engage key stakeholders, including examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations and organized labor, before taking any future decision. It stressed that no increase in WAEC or NECO registration fees will take effect until the consultation process is completed, assuring Nigerians that any eventual policy will seek to balance affordability with the cost of maintaining credible public examinations.
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