The Federal Government has approved a new registration fee of ₦50,000 for candidates sitting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), effective from 2027.
The new fee represents an increase of about 82 percent from the current registration fee of ₦27,500.
The approval was contained in a statement dated June 18 and signed by Adeniji Ibrahim, Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education.
According to the statement, the decision followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of the SSCE registration fee.
Ibrahim said the approval was reached after a meeting held on March 31, 2026, between the Minister of Education and representatives of the examination bodies, during which the need to review examination fees was discussed.
He added that the minister also directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform registration fee for the Senior School Certificate Examinations.
The increase means parents and guardians will pay ₦50,000 to register each candidate for either the WAEC or NECO SSCE from 2027.
The fee hike has, however, sparked criticism from students and opposition figures, who argue that the increase will place an additional financial burden on families already facing rising living costs.
