The Federal Government’s approval of an 82 per cent increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees, from N27,500 to N50,000, has drawn sharp criticism from education stakeholders who warn it could worsen Nigeria’s out-of-school children crisis.
The Federal Government is facing backlash over its decision to raise WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) registration fees to N50,000, an 82 per cent jump from the current N27,500 — one of the steepest examination fee increases in recent years.
The approval was conveyed in a letter dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, following a request by WAEC for an upward review of fees for candidates sitting the SSCE from 2027.
According to the ministry, the decision stemmed from a meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies on March 31, 2026, where rising costs of conducting public examinations were discussed, prompting the minister to direct WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform fee.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the honourable minister of education’s approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira (N50,000.00) only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027,” the ministry stated.
Confirming the development, the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, said the approval had indeed been granted, noting she personally verified it with the director in charge.
While examination bodies cite rising operational costs — logistics, security, printing, technology and supervision — as justification, education stakeholders warn the hike could push more vulnerable families out of the school system, with state governments that sponsor candidates also facing heavier budgetary strain.
The National Mobilisation Officer of the Education Rights Campaign (ERC), Adaramoye Micheal Lenin, described the decision as counterproductive, insisting it contradicts the government’s stated commitment to accessible education and would deepen the out-of-school crisis rather than solve it.
Similarly, the President of the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS), FCT chapter, Mrs Dorothy Okwuenu, called the increase unfortunate, warning it could derail enrolment efforts and worsen the number of out-of-school children nationwide.
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