The Federal Ministry of Education has approved an increase in the registration fees for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), raising the fee to ₦50,000 per candidate from 2027.
The decision has sparked widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders and political leaders, who argue that the new fee will place additional financial pressure on families already struggling with the country’s economic challenges.
Under the new arrangement, the registration fee for NECO’s SSCE Internal Examination will increase from ₦30,000 to ₦50,000, while WAEC’s fee will rise from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000, creating a uniform examination fee for both bodies.
The approval was contained in a letter dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education.
According to the letter addressed to the Registrar of NECO, the decision followed a meeting held on March 31, 2026, where heads of examination bodies met with the Minister of Education to discuss the rising cost of conducting national examinations.
The ministry explained that the minister directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform examination fee beginning with the 2027 examination cycle.
The letter instructed NECO to inform all relevant stakeholders of the new fee structure.
The development has raised concerns among education stakeholders, who fear the increase could prevent many students from registering for the examinations, particularly in states where governments do not sponsor candidates.
There are also concerns that states currently responsible for paying examination fees may accumulate larger debts to the examination bodies due to the higher registration costs.
In some states, including Lagos, the government currently pays WAEC examination fees for eligible public school candidates, while many parents personally fund NECO registration for their children.
NAPTAN Rejects Increase
The National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN) described the new fee as excessive and appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider the decision.
Chairman of the association’s Board of Trustees, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, said while an adjustment in fees might be understandable because of the current economic situation, the approved increase was too steep.
He argued that parents are already burdened with school fees, transportation, uniforms, books and other educational expenses, adding that increasing examination fees by more than 70 per cent would make it difficult for many families to cope.
According to him, a moderate increase of about 25 per cent would have been more acceptable.
He warned that some students who successfully complete their secondary education may eventually be unable to sit for their final examinations because their parents cannot afford the registration fees.
NUT Leaves Decision to Parents
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) declined to take a position on the issue.
National President of the union, Audu Titus Amba, said the union’s primary responsibility is the welfare of teachers and that parents are better positioned to either accept or reject the new examination fees.
He, however, disclosed that the union would address broader issues affecting the education sector during a scheduled press conference.
Atiku Condemns Fee Hike
Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, criticised the increase, describing it as harsh and insensitive.
In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said increasing examination fees at a time many Nigerians are battling inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, electricity tariffs and unemployment would further limit access to education.
He argued that education remains one of the strongest tools for reducing poverty and improving opportunities for young Nigerians, stressing that additional financial burdens would deny many children access to quality education.
Atiku expressed concern that Nigeria already has one of the world’s largest populations of out-of-school children and warned that higher examination fees could worsen the situation by forcing more students out of the education system.
He also criticised what he described as contradictory government policies, noting that while the administration promotes the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as a solution for tertiary education, many students may never reach university because they cannot afford secondary school examinations.
According to him, meaningful education reform should focus on making education affordable from the primary and secondary school levels rather than creating financial barriers.
He maintained that countries seeking long-term economic growth invest more in education during difficult economic periods instead of making it more expensive.
The former Vice President called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse both the recently approved increase in Federal Unity Colleges’ fees and the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee.
He also urged the Federal Government to convene an emergency stakeholders’ meeting to develop sustainable strategies for financing public education without placing additional burdens on Nigerian families.
Atiku added that an ADC-led government would reverse policies that make education inaccessible and would prioritise affordable education, expanded access to schools and increased capacity across Nigeria’s education system.
Federal Government Approves ₦50,000 WAEC, NECO Registration Fee for 2027
