The federal government has set N50,000 as the new examination fee for both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO), with the increase taking effect from the 2027 Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
The director of senior secondary education at the federal ministry of education said the review followed a formal request by WAEC for an upward revision of its fees.
Ibrahim said the minister of education had directed both examination bodies to align on a single uniform fee for conducting their respective SSCE examinations.
As reported by TheCable, Ibrahim disclosed this in a statement dated June 18, 2026.
The new fee marks an 82% jump from the previous rate of N27,500.
According to Nigerian Tribune, 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.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Minister of Education on 31 March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the 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 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.”
The ministry added that relevant stakeholders should be informed of the development accordingly.
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.
“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.
WASSCE 2026: WAEC changes question pattern
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.
