The Federal Government has approved a new registration fee of ₦50,000 for candidates sitting the Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), with the new rate scheduled to take effect from the 2027 examination cycle.
The approval, conveyed through the Federal Ministry of Education, raises the examination fee by about 82 per cent from the current average registration cost of ₦27,500, marking one of the most significant revisions to SSCE registration fees in recent years. Reports indicate that the new fee will apply to both WAEC and NECO examinations under a harmonised pricing structure.
The decision was contained in a ministry memo dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, following a request by WAEC for an upward review of examination fees.
According to the memo, the approval followed a meeting held on March 31, 2026, between the Minister of Education and heads of examination bodies, during which concerns over the rising cost of conducting public examinations were discussed.
At the meeting, the minister directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform registration fee for their Senior School Certificate Examinations as part of efforts to harmonise charges across the two examination bodies.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on 31 March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Honourable Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the memo stated.
It added: “Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira (₦50,000.00) only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027.”
The ministry directed that the decision be communicated to all relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate preparation ahead of the implementation of the new policy in 2027. The ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, has also confirmed that the Federal Government approved the upward review of the examination fees.
The harmonised fee means candidates registering for either WAEC or NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations will pay the same amount beginning from the 2027 examination cycle, replacing the existing disparity in charges between the two examination bodies.
Although the ministry did not provide a detailed breakdown of the factors informing the increase, stakeholders say examination bodies have faced mounting operational costs driven by inflation, logistics, security, printing, technology deployment and the gradual transition to computer-based testing (CBT) for national examinations. The Federal Government has in recent months reaffirmed its commitment to modernising the examination system through wider deployment of CBT and stronger measures to curb examination malpractice.
The announcement is, however, expected to generate anger among parents, students, while education stakeholders are expectedto hold divergent opinions. While supporters argue that higher fees may help improve the quality, security and integrity of public examinations, critics are likely to express concerns about the additional financial burden on households already grappling with rising living costs.
Education advocates have consistently urged governments at all levels to expand support for indigent students through scholarships, subsidies and examination grants to ensure that no qualified candidate is denied access to secondary school certification because of financial constraints.
WAEC recently concluded the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, while NECO’s 2026 SSCE is ongoing. The new registration fee will not affect candidates participating in the current examination cycle but will become effective from the 2027 NECO SSCE (Internal) and is expected to apply equally to the 2027 WAEC SSCE.