The Federal Government has suspended the planned review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination (NECO SSCE), following concerns raised by stakeholders and members of the public.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced in a statement on Monday that the letter communicating the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, had been withdrawn to allow for further assessment and consultations before any final decision is made.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension was necessary due to the reactions that followed the proposed increase.
“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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement read.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 influenced by the rising cost of organising national examinations, noting that examination fees had remained relatively stable for years despite growing operational expenses.
It listed increased spending on logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology infrastructure, quality assurance and other services required to maintain the standard and credibility of public examinations as factors behind the review.
The ministry said Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa directed that the proposal be suspended as part of the government’s commitment to transparent and inclusive decision-making.
“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 stated.
The ministry added that the government would engage examination bodies, state education ministries, school owners, administrators, parents’ associations, labour unions and other education stakeholders before reaching a final decision.
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It further clarified that the proposed adjustment would not be implemented until the consultation process had been completed.
The planned increase, which had earlier been approved by the Federal Government, would have raised the examination registration fee from N27,500 to N50,000 for secondary school candidates from 2027, representing an 82 per cent increase.
The approval followed a request from WAEC seeking a review of the Senior School Certificate Examination fee due to increased costs.
The proposed uniform N50,000 fee had attracted criticism from some groups, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who opposed the increase.