The Federal Government has suspended its 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 criticism.
This was announced by the Federal Ministry of Education on Monday, July 13, that it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 letter communicating the proposed fee review to allow for broader consultations before any final decision is taken.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the ministry said the decision was prompted by concerns raised by members of 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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement read.
The ministry explained that the proposed increase was informed by the rising cost of conducting national examinations.
It noted that examination fees had remained largely unchanged for years despite increasing expenses for logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology, quality assurance and other operational requirements.
According to the ministry, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in keeping with the Federal Government’s commitment to transparent and inclusive policymaking.
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“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,” the statement said.
The ministry added that consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school owners, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders before any decision is reached.
It stressed that the proposed fee adjustment would not take effect until the consultation process is concluded.
The ministry also reaffirmed that students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda.
The government had earlier approved a new uniform registration fee of ₦50,000 for candidates sitting WASSCE and NECO examinations from 2027, up from the current ₦27,500, representing an 82 per cent increase.
The proposal attracted strong opposition from several groups, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students, who argued that the increase would place an additional burden on struggling Nigerian families.