By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Federal Government has suspended its planned 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), following widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders and political leaders.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced that it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 circular approving the fee adjustment to allow for broader consultations before any final decision is taken.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the government said the suspension reflects its commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
According to the ministry, the proposed increase was necessitated by rising operational costs associated with conducting credible national examinations, including higher expenses on logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance.
However, Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold pending consultations with key stakeholders.
The ministry said it would engage examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other stakeholders to ensure that any future decision on examination fees is fair, sustainable and responsive to prevailing economic realities.
“The proposed increase will not take effect until the consultation process has been concluded and a final decision reached,” the statement said.
The reversal came barely a day after the ministry approved a uniform registration fee of ₦50,000 for WAEC and NECO examinations from 2027, a move that would have raised WAEC fees from about ₦27,000 and NECO fees from ₦30,000.
The proposal sparked strong opposition from parents, civil society groups, education advocates and opposition politicians, who warned that the increase would further limit access to secondary education and worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
Reacting to the suspension, Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi described the government’s decision as “a victory for the Nigerian people,” saying the reversal showed that public engagement could influence policy.
He, however, maintained that the proposed increase should never have been introduced given the country’s economic challenges.
Similarly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar welcomed the decision, describing it as a victory for millions of parents and students while urging the government to ensure future policies are preceded by adequate consultation with stakeholders.
The Federal Government reiterated that expanding access to quality education remains central to its education agenda and pledged to keep Nigerians informed as consultations on the examination fee structure continue.
