The Federal Government has suspended the planned increase in the registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), following widespread public criticism.
The decision comes barely two days after The Story, on Saturday, July 11, 2026, exclusively broke the news of the proposed increase in examination fees from ₦27,000 to ₦50,000, a report that triggered nationwide reactions from parents, education stakeholders, civil society groups and political leaders.
Announcing the latest development on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Education said the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated June 18, 2026, had been withdrawn to pave the way for broader consultations with critical stakeholders before any final decision is taken.
In a statement signed by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, the government said the suspension followed concerns and feedback received from members of the public over the proposed increase.
The ministry explained that although the proposed review was necessitated by rising operational costs associated with conducting national examinations, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance, the Minister of Education directed that the proposal be put on hold.
According to the statement, consultations will now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other stakeholders before any decision is reached.
The ministry added that the proposed increase would not take effect until the consultation process is concluded.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring equitable access to quality education, promising to keep Nigerians informed as discussions on the proposed fee review continue.
