FG Raises WAEC, NECO Registration Fees to ₦50,000 Per Candidate

The Federal Government has approved an upward review of the registration fees for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations (SSCE) conducted by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), fixing a new uniform fee of ₦50,000 per candidate from the 2027 examination cycle.  

Under the new policy, the registration fee for the NECO SSCE Internal Examination will increase from ₦30,000 to ₦50,000, while the WAEC SSCE fee will rise from ₦27,000 to the same amount, creating a harmonised fee structure for both examination bodies.  

The approval was conveyed in a memo dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education. The decision followed a meeting between the ministry and examination bodies where the rising cost of conducting the examinations was discussed.  

According to the ministry, the adoption of a uniform examination fee is intended to standardise registration costs for candidates sitting either WAEC or NECO while helping the examination bodies cope with increasing operational expenses.  

The new fee will take effect from the 2027 SSCE Internal Examinations, meaning candidates writing the 2026 examinations will not be affected by the increase.  

The announcement has generated mixed reactions among education stakeholders, with supporters citing the need to address rising operational costs, while critics argue that the increase could place additional financial pressure on parents and guardians already grappling with the country’s economic challenges.