The Federal Government has approved an increase in the registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), raising the cost to ₦50,000 per candidate with effect from the 2027 examination cycle.
The approval, conveyed through the Federal Ministry of Education, raises the NECO Senior School Certificate Examination registration fee from ₦30,000 to ₦50,000, while the WAEC fee will increase from ₦27,000 to the same amount, establishing a uniform registration fee for both examination bodies.
The decision was contained 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.
According to the ministry, the fee adjustment followed a policy decision reached during a meeting between the Minister of Education and the examination bodies on March 31, 2026, where both WAEC and NECO were directed to adopt a uniform registration fee for their internal Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations from 2027.
Part of the memo stated: “You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fee was discussed, the Honourable Minister directed that the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE.”
It added: “Consequently, I am directed to convey the Honourable Minister of Education’s approval of the sum of Fifty Thousand Naira (₦50,000) only, as the new examination fee for candidates with effect from NECO SSCE Internal 2027. You are to bring the content of this letter to all stakeholders.”
The development comes after WAEC concluded its 2026 Senior School Certificate Examination, while the 2026 NECO examination is currently ongoing across the country.
The new fee is expected to increase financial obligations for several state governments that sponsor candidates for the examinations, with observers warning that outstanding debts owed to the examination bodies could rise if states struggle to meet the higher costs.
Education stakeholders have also expressed concern that the increase may make it more difficult for thousands of candidates, particularly those in states that do not subsidise or fully fund examination registration, to participate in the annual examinations.
In Lagos State, the government currently pays the registration fees for candidates sitting the WAEC Senior School Certificate Examination, while parents who can afford it bear the cost of NECO registration. The revised fee is expected to place additional financial pressure on families without government support.
