The federal government has approved N50,000 as the new uniform examination fee for both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), effective from the 2027 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE). This represents an 82% increase from the previous fee of N27,500.
Fee Increase Follows WAEC Request and Ministerial Directive
The director of senior secondary education at the federal ministry of education, Ibrahim, stated that the review followed a formal request by WAEC for an upward revision of its fees. The minister of education directed both examination bodies to adopt a single uniform fee for conducting their respective SSCE examinations. Ibrahim made this known in a statement dated June 18, 2026, as reported by TheCable.
Ibrahim traced the decision to a meeting held on March 31, 2026, between the minister of education and the heads of the country's examination bodies, where the question of fee revision was placed on the agenda. He said: "You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the honourable minister of education on 31 March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the honourable minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE. Consequently, I am directed to convey the honourable minister of education's approval of the sum of fifty thousand naira (N50,000.00) only, as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from NECO SSCE (Internal), 2027."
Ministry Spokesperson Confirms Approval
Folasade Boriowo, director of press and public relations at the ministry of education, separately confirmed the fee increase to journalists on Saturday. She said: "I can confirm the approval of an upward review of the examination fees. I spoke with the director in charge a few minutes ago, and he said the approval was done."
The move comes amid widespread concerns over the rising cost of education in Nigeria, with many families already stretched by economic pressures. The harmonisation of WAEC and NECO fees at the same rate signals a policy shift aimed at standardising examination costs across the two bodies that conduct secondary school leaving examinations for millions of Nigerian students each year.
WAEC Introduces Upgraded Question Serialisation for 2026 WASSCE
Recall that WAEC introduced upgraded question serialisation to ensure candidates receive different question arrangements in CBT exams. Over 1.9 million candidates have been registered for the 2026 WASSCE under the computer-based examination format. WAEC, however, warned against malpractice syndicates while confirming strict monitoring and prosecution measures during the exams.
Girls Outnumber Boys in 2026 WAEC Exams
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that WAEC has recorded a higher female participation in the 2026 WASSCE, with girls exceeding boys in enrolment figures. Over 1.9 million candidates have registered for the 2026 examination across more than 24,000 schools nationwide. WAEC also reported increased adoption of CBT-style reforms alongside tighter exam security measures, including question serialisation.
