The Federal Government has approved an increase in the registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), raising the cost per candidate from ₦27,500 to ₦50,000 with effect from the 2027 examination cycle.
The decision, which represents an 82 per cent increase in examination fees, has sparked widespread criticism, with the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) describing the move as insensitive and capable of denying thousands of students access to secondary school certification.
The approval was contained in a letter dated June 18 and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim. The ministry explained that the increase followed a request by WAEC and was approved after deliberations at a meeting of examination bodies with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026.
According to the ministry, both WAEC and NECO have been directed to adopt a uniform examination fee for the conduct of their Senior School Certificate Examinations beginning in 2027.
The letter stated: “You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Honourable Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE.”
It added: “Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira (₦50,000) only as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027.”
The Ministry of Education also confirmed the approval through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, who said the increase had been officially endorsed by the government.
The announcement, however, drew immediate backlash from NANS, which warned that the increase would worsen the financial burden on millions of Nigerian families already struggling with the country’s economic challenges.
In a statement signed by its President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, the student body argued that candidates intending to sit both WAEC and NECO examinations would now spend as much as ₦100,000 on registration alone, excluding additional fees charged by schools.
“The reported increase raises the registration fee for each examination to ₦50,000, bringing the combined cost for candidates intending to sit both WAEC and NECO examinations to ₦100,000, excluding additional charges imposed by schools,” the association said.
NANS described the decision as insensitive, insisting that education should be made more affordable rather than more expensive.
“If the Federal Ministry of Education and the leadership of WAEC and NECO cannot make the examinations more affordable and accessible, they should refrain from introducing policies that would further burden students and parents,” the statement added.
The students’ body also criticised the process leading to the approval, alleging that key stakeholders, particularly NANS, were not consulted before the decision was taken.
“A decision of this magnitude affecting millions of students across the country cannot be made unilaterally by the Ministry of Education. Anything for us, without us, is against us,” NANS stated.
The association called on the Federal Ministry of Education to immediately reverse the fee increase and begin consultations with student representatives before implementing policies affecting the education sector.
The development has generated widespread reactions across the country, with education stakeholders and parents expressing concern that the sharp increase could force many students, particularly those from low-income families, to abandon their dreams of completing secondary education unless intervention measures are introduced.