The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination, pending wider consultations with stakeholders.
The decision was announced in a statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education, which said its earlier letter dated June 18, 2026, conveying the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, said the suspension followed concerns raised by members of the public over the planned increase.
“The letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement read.
According to the ministry, the proposed adjustment was necessitated by rising operational costs associated with conducting national examinations, noting that examination fees had remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing expenses.
It explained that higher costs of logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services informed the proposal.
The ministry added that the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be suspended in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” the statement added.
It said the government would engage key stakeholders, including examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other education partners before reaching a final decision.
The ministry stressed that the proposed fee review would not take effect until the consultation process is concluded.
It reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to protecting students’ welfare, ensuring equitable access to quality education and adopting responsible policies in the education sector.
Before the suspension, the Federal Government had approved an increase in the examination registration fee from ₦27,500 to ₦50,000 for candidates sitting the 2027 WASSCE and NECO examinations, representing an 82 per cent increase.
The proposal had attracted criticism from several groups, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), who urged the government to reconsider the planned increase.
