The Federal Government’s approval of a N50,000 registration fee for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) from 2027 has drawn mixed reactions from education stakeholders.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja, stakeholders expressed differing views on the fee increase, with some describing it as excessive and unaffordable, while others argued that additional funding could improve service delivery if implemented transparently.
The approval was conveyed in a memorandum dated 18 June 2026, issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa.
The memo followed a directive to harmonise registration fees for the WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations. Under the new arrangement, NECO’s SSCE Internal registration fee will increase from N30,000 to N50,000, while WAEC’s fee will rise from N27,000 to N50,000 from 2027.
Educationist Beatrice Oke described the increase as excessive, although she acknowledged rising operational and logistics costs.
“The percentage increase is too high, although we expected a review after some time due to rising logistics costs. However, many average Nigerians may not be able to afford the new fees, and this could force some students out of school,” she said.
Oke urged the government to review the decision or introduce measures to cushion its impact on low-income households, stressing that affordable examination fees are essential to sustaining access to education and reducing school dropout rates.
She also called on governments at all levels to expand subsidies and intervention programmes for vulnerable students.
A private school proprietor, Funmilayo Soyoye, also criticised the increase, warning that it could place additional financial pressure on graduates seeking employment or admission into higher institutions.
“Certificate verification is a mandatory requirement for many academic and employment processes and should remain affordable. The government should consider the economic realities facing Nigerians before approving such a sharp increase,” she said.
She added that the policy could discourage many young people from pursuing opportunities requiring certificate verification.
Another school proprietor, who declined to be named, said the government should clearly justify the increase and ensure it results in tangible improvements in service delivery, including faster and more efficient certificate verification.
A parent, Abdulfatai Ibrahim, appealed to the government to reverse the decision, arguing that it would worsen the financial burden on families already facing rising education costs.
He urged the authorities to engage stakeholders and adopt a more moderate pricing structure.
However, education consultant Olamide Ogunkoya said the increase could be justified if the additional revenue was used to strengthen certificate verification systems and digital infrastructure.
According to her, investment in secure verification platforms would help reduce certificate fraud and improve the credibility of Nigeria’s examination bodies.
Ogunkoya, however, urged the government to strike a balance between cost recovery and access to essential education services, while calling for broader stakeholder consultation before implementing major policy changes.
The ministry’s memo stated that the decision followed discussions at a meeting of examination bodies convened by the Minister of Education on 31 March 2026, where the need to review examination fees was considered.
It added that the minister subsequently approved a uniform registration fee of N50,000 for both WAEC and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations with effect from the 2027 examination cycle and directed that all relevant stakeholders be informed.
