The proposed N50,000 WAEC and NECO registration fee for 2027 has been suspended and the earlier notice has been withdrawn.
- The N50,000 fee has not taken effect.
- The 18 June 2026 letter has been withdrawn.
- Public feedback has prompted wider consultations.
- A final decision has remained pending.
- WAEC and NECO candidates have been covered by the suspension.
Continue reading for the reason, timeline and what the suspension means for candidates.
The proposed N50,000 registration fee for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination is now on hold. The Federal Ministry of Education has withdrawn the letter that conveyed the proposed fee adjustment, pending a wider review and consultations with relevant stakeholders.
This means the N50,000 fee will not take effect as earlier communicated while the consultation process remains pending.
A statement issued on Monday by the Federal Ministry of Education said the withdrawn letter was dated 18 June 2026. The statement was signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
Has the N50,000 WAEC and NECO fee taken effect?
The proposed N50,000 registration fee has not taken effect.
The ministry has withdrawn the earlier letter and placed the proposal on hold. A final decision will be taken after a comprehensive review and broader consultations with examination bodies, education authorities, parents and other affected groups.
Candidates, parents and schools should therefore treat the N50,000 amount as a suspended proposal rather than a fee that has become effective for the 2027 examinations.
What did the Federal Ministry of Education announce?
The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed adjustment had been withdrawn because a broader review was required before any final decision could be reached.
The ministry said public concerns and feedback had been received after the proposed fee change was communicated. Those responses led to the decision to pause the process and consult the groups that would be affected by the change.
The ministry also stated that the proposed examination fee review would not take effect as earlier communicated until consultations had been completed.
What was the proposed WAEC and NECO fee for 2027?
An earlier communication stated that the Federal Government had approved N50,000 as the registration fee for WAEC and NECO senior secondary school candidates from 2027.
The initial registration fee was N27,500. Moving from N27,500 to N50,000 represented an increase of about 82 per cent.
The earlier approval was contained in a statement dated 18 June 2026 and issued by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim.
That communication said the approval followed a request from the West African Examinations Council for an upward review of the Senior School Certificate Examination fee for candidates from 2027.
The later ministry statement has now withdrawn the letter and suspended the proposed change.
Why was the examination fee review proposed?
The Federal Ministry of Education said the proposed review was connected to the rising cost of conducting national examinations.
Registration fees had remained largely unchanged for several years, while the expenses attached to examination administration had continued to rise. The ministry identified several cost areas:
- Examination logistics
- Security arrangements
- Printing of examination materials
- Technology deployment
- Quality assurance
- Other services required to protect examination credibility
These expenses formed the stated basis for the proposed adjustment from N27,500 to N50,000.
Why has the Federal Government suspended the fee review?
Public concerns and feedback were the stated reasons for suspending the proposal.
The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, directed that the fee review be placed on hold. The ministry said the directive reflected the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking.
Policies that affect students and their families will be considered through wider consultations before a final position is announced.
The suspension also allows examination bodies and education stakeholders to present their views on the proposed amount, its financial effect and the costs associated with conducting public examinations.
Who will be consulted before a final decision?
The Federal Ministry of Education said consultations would be held with groups involved in examination administration and secondary education.
The consultation process will cover:
- Examination bodies
- State ministries of education
- School proprietors and administrators
- Parents’ associations
- Organised labour
- Education stakeholders
- Other critical partners
A final decision will be taken after these consultations have been completed.
What does the suspension mean for candidates and parents?
Candidates and parents are no longer expected to treat the proposed N50,000 fee as an amount that will automatically apply from 2027.
The earlier communication has been withdrawn, while the review process is pending. The ministry has not announced a replacement fee or a date for completing the consultation process.
The N27,500 amount remains the initial registration fee identified in the statement. Any later change will depend on the outcome of the review and the final decision announced by the Federal Government.
Parents and schools will be informed if a revised fee is approved after consultations.
What is the timeline of the proposed fee review?
The stated events have followed this order:
- WAEC requested an upward review of the Senior School Certificate Examination fee.
- A ministry communication dated 18 June 2026 stated that N50,000 had been approved for candidates from 2027.
- Members of the public raised concerns and gave feedback on the proposed fee.
- The Minister of Education directed that the proposal be placed on hold.
- The ministry withdrew the 18 June 2026 letter through a statement issued on Monday.
- Consultations will be held before a final decision is taken.
No date has been provided for the conclusion of the consultation process.
Does the suspension cover both WAEC and NECO?
Yes. The suspended review covers registration fees for both examinations named in the ministry’s statement:
- West African Senior School Certificate Examination
- National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination
The proposed N50,000 fee will not take effect for either examination as earlier communicated while the review remains pending.
Has the N50,000 examination fee been cancelled?
The ministry described the proposal as suspended and the earlier letter as withdrawn. A final decision remains pending until the review and consultations have been completed.
The suspension does not confirm what amount may later be approved. It confirms that the N50,000 fee will not take effect under the withdrawn communication.
When will the final WAEC and NECO fee be announced?
The Federal Ministry of Education has not provided a date for announcing a final fee.
A decision will be taken after consultations with examination bodies, state education ministries, school representatives, parents’ associations organised labour and other stakeholders.
The public will be informed as the consultation process continues.
Why does the government say consultations are needed?
The proposed fee affects secondary school candidates, their families, schools and state education authorities. The ministry said these groups should be consulted before a final decision is reached.
The review will also allow the government to consider the operational expenses presented by examination bodies alongside concerns raised by the public.
The ministry said students’ welfare, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to the Federal Government’s education agenda.
What should schools and candidates expect next?
Schools, candidates and parents will await a further announcement from the Federal Ministry of Education.
The next communication is expected after the consultation process has been completed and the proposed fee has received a comprehensive review. Until then, the N50,000 registration fee remains suspended.
The ministry has pledged to keep the public informed throughout the process.