The Federal Government has suspended the proposed increase in registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination following widespread public criticism.
The announcement was made on Monday in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
According to the ministry, the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, has been officially withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and wider consultations with key stakeholders before any final decision is taken.
"The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken," the statement read.
The ministry explained that the proposed increase was necessitated by the rising cost of conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing operational expenses.
It listed logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance, and other essential services as some of the factors driving the proposed review.
However, the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be put on hold in line with the Federal Government's commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
The ministry disclosed that consultations would now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents' associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other relevant groups before any decision is reached.
As a result, the proposed increase in examination registration fees will not take effect until the consultation process has been concluded.
The ministry also reaffirmed that students' welfare, equal access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain at the heart of the Federal Government's education agenda.
Before the suspension, the proposed registration fee for both WAEC and NECO examinations was ₦27,500 for secondary school candidates.