By Chinedu Echianu
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 (SSCE), pending wider consultations with stakeholders.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced the decision in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before any final decision is taken.
The ministry said the suspension followed concerns and feedback from members of the public over the planned increase.
It explained that the proposed fee review was informed by the rising cost of conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.
The ministry cited higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services required to maintain the credibility and integrity of public examinations.
It stated that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
“The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the decision underscores the government’s commitment to ensuring that policies affecting students and their families are carefully considered and reflect the public interest.
It said consultations would now 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.
Consequently, the ministry said the proposed review of examination registration fees would not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process is concluded.
The ministry reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda, pledging to keep the public informed throughout the consultation process.
The suspension comes weeks after the Federal Government approved a new registration fee of N50,000 for WAEC and NECO examinations beginning in 2027, representing an 82 per cent increase from the current fee of N27,500.
The approval, announced in a June 18, 2026, statement signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of the examination fee.
The proposed increase had attracted criticism from several stakeholders, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who urged the government to reconsider the decision.
