The Federal Government has suspended its planned increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination while it consults more stakeholders.
In a statement released on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education said it had withdrawn the June 18, 2026 letter announcing the proposed fee increase to allow for a full review before any final decision is made.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the move followed concerns and feedback from 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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.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 explained that the proposed increase was due to the rising cost of conducting national examinations. It said registration fees have remained mostly unchanged for years despite growing operating costs.
It listed increased spending on logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other services needed to protect the credibility of public examinations.
“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.
The ministry said the decision shows its commitment to making sure policies affecting students and their families are carefully considered and serve the public interest. It added that consultations would involve examination bodies, state ministries of education, school owners and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other key partners. Until the consultation is completed, the proposed fee increase will not take effect.
The ministry also said students’ welfare, equal access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda, promising to keep the public updated throughout the process.
The Federal Government had earlier approved N50,000 as the new WAEC and NECO examination fee for secondary school candidates from 2027, up from N27,500, representing an 82 per cent increase.
In a June 18, 2026 statement, Director of Senior Secondary Education Adeniji Ibrahim said the approval followed WAEC’s request for a fee review.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students had earlier opposed the planned N50,000 fee.
