FG Approves Higher WAEC, NECO Registration Fees for 2027

The Federal Government has approved a new SSCE registration fee of N50,000 for candidates sitting WAEC and NECO examinations from 2027. The decision follows approval by the Federal Ministry of Education and will apply to internal candidates completing their senior secondary education.

Under the new arrangement, the NECO SSCE fee will increase from N30,000 to N50,000 per candidate. The WAEC SSCE fee will also rise from N27,000 to N50,000. SSCE registration fee changes will take effect from the 2027 examination cycle. This year’s WAEC examinations ended a few weeks ago, while NECO examinations are still in progress.

The approval appeared in a memo dated 18 June 2026 and signed by Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, Director of Senior Secondary Education, on behalf of the Minister of Education. The document, seen by Vanguard Newspaper, included the following statement: “Re: Upward review of registration fees for examinations conducted by NECO”. It also stated, “You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on 31st March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fee was discussed, the Honourable Minister of Education 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.”

The memo confirmed approval of N50,000 as the new SSCE registration fee and instructed NECO to inform all stakeholders. Reports also suggest the increase could add to debts already owed by some state governments that pay examination fees for students. Some parents fear the higher SSCE registration fee may prevent many candidates from registering in states where families must cover the full cost. In Lagos State, the government pays WAEC fees, while parents who can afford it pay NECO fees for their children.

How do you think the new SSCE registration fee will affect students and families across Nigeria?