Peter Obi says WASSCE, NECO fee review should never have been proposed

Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi has said the Federal Government’s proposed review of registration fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) should never have been introduced.

Obi made this known through his official X account on Monday, following the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in examination registration fees, which would have raised the cost to N50,000 for candidates sitting WASSCE and NECO examinations.

He described the suspension as a victory for Nigerians, arguing that the proposed fee increase would have imposed an unnecessary financial burden on families already struggling with the rising cost of living.

What they are saying

Obi welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed fee review, describing it as evidence that public engagement and citizens’ advocacy can influence government policy.

He, however, maintained that the proposal should never have been introduced at a time when millions of Nigerians were facing economic hardship and access to education should be a priority.

• “I received the welcome news of the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees with relief. This is a victory for the Nigerian people,” his statement read.
• “While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of hardship, when we should be doing everything to invest in best education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.”
• Obi said the government should focus on expanding access to education and increasing investment in basic education rather than introducing policies that make schooling less affordable.
• He added that imposing additional charges at the basic education level could deny many children access to education and stressed that it is the responsibility of the government to remove barriers to learning, not create new ones.

He also noted that true leadership requires the willingness to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on citizens and thanked parents, advocacy groups and other Nigerians whose collective voices contributed to the suspension of the proposal.

Backstory

The Federal Government had earlier approved N50,000 as the new examination registration fee for WASSCE and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations for secondary school candidates from 2027.

• The approval followed a request by WAEC for an upward review of examination fees for candidates from 2027.
• The previous registration fee stood at N27,500, meaning the proposed adjustment represented an 82% increase.
• According to Adeniji Ibrahim, Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, the decision followed a meeting between examination bodies and the Minister of Education on March 31, 2026, where the need for a fee review was discussed.
• Ibrahim also said the minister directed WAEC and NECO to adopt a uniform registration fee for the conduct of their SSCE examinations.

The proposed increase immediately sparked widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders and civil society groups, who argued that it would further limit access to education.

What you should know

The Federal Government on Monday suspended the proposed review of registration fees for the 2027 WASSCE and NECO Senior School Certificate Examinations following widespread public opposition.

• The announcement was contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.
• The ministry said the June 18, 2026 letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with stakeholders.
• Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, directed that the proposal be placed on hold after the ministry acknowledged concerns and constructive feedback from the public.
• The ministry said the proposed review was driven by rising operational costs, including logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance.

The ministry added that it would consult examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors, parents’ associations, organised labour and other stakeholders before making any final decision on future adjustments to examination registration fees.