The federal government has suspended its controversial proposal to increase and harmonise the registration fees for senior secondary school leaving examinations to ₦50,000 starting in 2027.
The decision follows a wave of public anger from parent groups, student unions, and opposition figures, who argued that the sharp price hike would price millions of low-income students out of formal education.
Under the original June 18 directive, candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) run by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) would have seen fees jump 81.8% from ₦27,500. For the National Examinations Council (NECO) exam, fees would have risen 66.7% from ₦30,000.
In a statement on Monday, the ministry of education confirmed it has formally withdrawn the approval letter to allow for “broader consultations”.
The government said that conducting national examinations has become increasingly expensive due to inflation and rising operational costs, but said education minister Maruf Tunji Alausa directed the freeze to prevent immediate financial distress for families.
“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Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” said Folasade Boriowo, the ministry’s spokesperson.
“The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.”
According to the ministry, the initial price hike was intended to address escalating costs associated with logistics, security, printing confidential examination materials, technology deployment, and quality assurance.
“Cruel and economically insensitive”
The suspension is widely celebrated as a victory by consumer advocates and civil society groups who had spent the weekend warning that the ₦50,000 fee was untenable. Families with multiple children facing back-to-back exams would have faced bills exceeding ₦100,000 for registration alone.
Deolu Ogunbanjo, chairman of the board of trustees for the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria (NAPTAN), had strongly condemned the initial hike.
“The increase is too high for our liking and acceptance. If the examination bodies are seeking an increase, citing the cost of living, I think it should be a bit progressive, maybe at most 25 per cent. But what they are asking for now is surely over 75 per cent,” Ogunbanjo said before the suspension. “Apart from paying examination fees and others, parents have a lot of responsibilities on their children… The new rate will be a burden.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also added his voice to the criticism, calling the proposed price hike cruel and economically insensitive in a country that already struggles with one of the world’s highest populations of out-of-school children.
“Genuine educational reform begins by making education affordable from the primary and secondary levels, expanding the carrying capacity of our tertiary institutions, and ensuring that poverty never becomes the reason a child is denied the opportunity to learn,” Atiku said in a statement issued via his spokesperson.
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