FG Okays N50,000 WAEC, NECO Registration Fee Amid Affordability Concerns

The Federal Government has approved an upward review of the registration fees for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), with effect from 2027.

Under the new arrangement, candidates sitting for the internal SSCE conducted by both examination bodies will pay a uniform registration fee of N50,000.

The approval was granted by the Federal Ministry of Education through a memo dated June 18, 2026, and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Mr. Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

The development means that NECO’s SSCE registration fee will increase from N30,000 to N50,000, while WAEC’s fee will rise from N27,000 to N50,000.

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According to the memo addressed to the Registrar of NECO, the decision followed an earlier request by WAEC for an upward review of examination fees for school candidates.

The ministry recalled that during a meeting of examination bodies with the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, the need to review the examination fees was discussed.

It stated that the Minister directed both WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform registration fee for the conduct of their Senior School Certificate Examinations.

“Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of Fifty Thousand Naira (N50,000) only as the new examination fee for candidates with effect from NECO SSCE Internal 2027,” the memo stated.

The ministry also directed NECO to communicate the new fee structure to all relevant stakeholders ahead of its implementation.

The planned increase has, however, generated concerns among education stakeholders, with indications that it could worsen the financial burden on state governments that currently sponsor candidates for the examinations.

Several states across the country pay SSCE registration fees on behalf of public secondary school students, and observers fear the new rate could increase outstanding obligations owed to the examination bodies.

Parents have also expressed concerns that the higher registration fee may discourage some candidates from sitting for the examinations, particularly in states where governments do not subsidise or fully pay the registration costs.