The federal government of Nigeria has increased the examination fees for the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council. Officials set the new uniform fee at N50,000 per candidate for the Senior School Certificate Examination starting in 2027.
The Ministry of Education announced the decision after WAEC requested a review of the registration fee. The new amount marks an 82 percent rise from the previous N27,500. NECO previously charged N30,000 for its internal examination.
Education ministry officials acted on a memo. They conveyed the approval of the Honourable Minister of Education. The statement read, “Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira only as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE internal 2027.”
WAEC completed its 2026 examinations weeks earlier while NECO continued its own. The government aimed to standardize fees across both bodies. Officials said they would notify all stakeholders before implementation.
The hike affected millions of secondary school students who prepare for these national examinations each year. Parents and students now face higher costs for registration and related expenses. The change followed discussions between the ministry and examination bodies.
The federal government took this step to support the operations of WAEC and NECO. Candidates will pay the updated fee when they register for the 2027 examinations.
