🔥 Trending FG Approves 82% Hike in WAEC and NECO Exam Fees

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved a new examination fee of N50,000 for both the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations ¹⁵⁶. This new fee will come into effect from the 2027 examination cycle ¹⁵⁷.

Details of the Fee Increase

• New Fee: N50,000 ¹⁵.
• Effective Date: From the 2027 examination cycle ¹⁵⁷.
• Previous Fee: The previous registration fee was N27,500 ³⁸.
• Percentage Increase: The new fee represents an 82% increase from the previous amount ³⁸.
• Affected Examinations: This increase applies to both WAEC and NECO examinations for school candidates ¹⁶. Specifically, parents and students will bear this increased cost starting from the NECO SSCE (Internal) in 2027 ³.

Context and Rationale

The decision to review examination fees was discussed during a meeting between the examination bodies and the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026 ⁸. While the specific reasons for the increase are not fully detailed in the provided sources, the Minister directed WAEC to review its fees ⁸.

Current Fees (Prior to 2027)

It's important to note that the N50,000 fee is for the 2027 examination cycle onwards. For the 2026 WAEC examinations, school candidates are expected to pay N18,500, while private candidates pay N36,000 ⁴. NECO's official website also states that all fees are subject to change and advises verifying current rates with a local NECO office before making payments ¹⁰.

Modernization of Examinations

WAEC is also moving towards modernizing its examination format with the introduction of the Computer-Based West African Senior School Certificate Examination (CB-WASSCE). This hybrid exam will include both computer-based (CBT) and traditional pen-and-paper components ².