The Federal Government (FG) has halted the recent increment in the fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), otherwise known as WAEC, and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The suspension was announced on Monday in Abuja via a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations for the Federal Ministry of Education, Folasade Boriowo.
The latest development follows the backlash that trailed the initial increments.
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Prior to the suspension, the FG had approved the proposed sum of ₦50,000 for WAEC and NECO fees.
The approval was contained in a new memo dated 18 June 2026 and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the ministry.
This fee increase was expected to take effect from the 2027 academic session and represents an 82% hike from the current fee of ₦27,500.
However, in a new twist, the FG bowed to pressure, stating that it has suspended the proposed increase to allow for consultation with other stakeholders.
”The proposed review of examination registration fees will not take effect, as earlier communicated, pending the conclusion of the consultation process,” Boriowo said.

