Federal Government Approval for New Fees

The Federal Government has given the green light for a significant increase in the registration fees for the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations (SSCE) for school candidates, set to take effect from 2027.

New Registration Fee Details

Under the new policy, candidates registering for the 2027 internal SSCE will be required to pay a uniform fee of ₦50,000. This represents a substantial increase from the current ₦27,000 charged by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and ₦30,000 charged by NECO.

Memo and Approval

The approval was conveyed in a memo dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education.

Reason Behind the Decision

According to the ministry, the decision followed a meeting between the Minister of Education and examination bodies on March 31, 2026, where both WAEC and NECO were directed to adopt a uniform examination fee.

Implementation and Stakeholder Notification

The ministry instructed NECO to communicate the new fee to all relevant stakeholders ahead of its implementation in the 2027 SSCE.

Concerns Over the Increase

The increase has, however, raised concerns among stakeholders. Some fear it could worsen the debt burden of state governments that sponsor candidates' examination fees, while parents in states without such support worry that the higher fee may prevent many students from registering for the examinations.

Impact on State Governments

In states like Lagos, where the government currently pays WAEC fees for public school candidates, the policy is expected to increase the financial commitment required from state governments.

• Increased financial burden on state governments
• Potential decrease in student registration due to higher fees
• Uniform examination fee across WAEC and NECO