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The Federal Government has suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), pending extensive consultations with stakeholders.
The Federal Ministry of Education announced this on Monday in a statement by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, saying that it had withdrawn its June 18, 2026 letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment to allow for a comprehensive review and broader engagement with key stakeholders before any final decision is made.
According to the ministry, the suspension follows concerns and constructive feedback from Nigerians over the proposed increase, reaffirming the government's commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
The ministry explained that the proposed review was necessitated by prevailing economic realities and the rising cost of conducting credible national examinations. It noted that examination registration fees have remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing expenses on logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other essential services required to preserve the integrity of public examinations.
Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold to allow for wider consultations with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents' associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders.
The ministry said the fresh consultation process is intended to ensure that any future decision on examination fees is fair, sustainable, transparent and responsive to current economic realities without compromising access to education.
It stressed that the proposed fee review will not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process has been concluded.
The ministry also reiterated that the welfare of students, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector.
It assured Nigerians that the public would be kept informed throughout the consultation process.
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