FG Backtracks on ₦50,000 WAEC, NECO Exam Fee After Public Backlash
The Federal Government has announced the suspension of the proposed hike in fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) following the news that raised fears among the public about the effect of the proposed increase on children’s enrolment in school.
The Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement made on Monday, stated that it had scrapped the letter of increment of examination fee from N27,500 to N50,000, which it had issued to schools on June 18, 2026, by approximately 82 per cent.
According to the statement, signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, the suspension would give time for a thorough evaluation of the proposal and more consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is reached.
Parents and child rights organizations had already decried the proposed hike in examination fee as a barrier for low-income children to pursue secondary education, among other groups.
Access to education is guaranteed by Child Rights Act 2003 of Nigeria and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which grants every child a right to education and development.
The ministry did not specify the date for announcing the final decision on the fees for the examination. But stakeholders have asked that any review in the future make sure that no child misses out on sitting for national examinations due to financial constraints.
