Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students have kicked against the federal government’s approval of a uniform N50,000 fee for candidates registering for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and National Examinations Council examinations from 2027.
They argued that the increase, which represents a significant rise from the current fee, would make secondary school certification unaffordable for many Nigerian families and further widen the gap in access to education.
The initial registration fee was N27,500, which means the new increment comes with an 82 percent hike.
The federal government said it approved N50,000 as the new examination fee for WAEC and NECO for secondary school candidates from 2027.
In a statement on June 18, 2026, issued by the Director of Senior Secondary Education of the Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, the approval followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of the fee for the Senior School Certificate Examination for candidates from 2027.
Ibrahim said the decision stems from a meeting between examination bodies and the minister of education held on March 31, 2026, where the need to review examination fees was discussed.
He said the minister directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of their SSCE examinations.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the honorable minister of education on 31 March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the honorable minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE.
“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honorable 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 statement read, with a directive that the decision be communicated to all relevant stakeholders.
Confirming the development to TheCable on Saturday, the director of press and public relations of the Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo, said the government approved the upward review of the examination fees.
“I can confirm the approval of an upward review of the examination fees. I spoke with the director in charge a few minutes ago, and he said the approval was done,” Folashade said.
Reacting, Atiku, who also condemned the recent increase in fees charged by Federal Unity Colleges, described the measures as economically insensitive and inconsistent with the government’s constitutional obligation to make education accessible to every Nigerian child.
In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President said the Tinubu-led government was imposing additional financial burdens on families already struggling under the weight of inflation, rising food prices, high transportation costs, electricity tariff increases, and widespread unemployment.
“It is unconscionable that at a time when Nigerian families are battling record inflation, soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, crippling electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes, and widespread unemployment, the Tinubu administration has chosen to make education even more expensive,” Atiku said.
