The Federal Ministry of Education has approved a uniform ₦50,000 registration fee for the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination conducted by the West African Examinations Council and the National Examinations Council, effective from 2027, a decision that has drawn sharp criticism from parent and teacher groups as well as opposition figures.

A memo dated June 18, 2026, and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Mr Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the Minister of Education, confirmed the approval on the Minister's directive following a meeting with examination bodies on March 31, 2026. The new fee raises NECO's internal SSCE charge from ₦30,000 and WAEC's from ₦27,000, both now aligned at ₦50,000 per candidate.

The memo, addressed to the Registrar of NECO, instructed that the content be communicated to all relevant stakeholders and conveyed the Minister's approval of the uniform figure with immediate reference to the 2027 NECO SSCE internal examination.

Reactions followed swiftly. The Chairman, Board of Trustees of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, described the rise as exceeding 75% and urged the examination bodies to reconsider, arguing that a more progressive adjustment of around 25% would have been reasonable given the range of other financial obligations already borne by parents.

The National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Mr Audu Titus Amba, took a more neutral stance, explaining that the union's focus remained on teacher welfare and that the decision on registration fees rested with parents to accept or reject.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar weighed in through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, branding the increase cruel and economically insensitive. He linked the fee hike to Nigeria's out of school children crisis, citing figures between 10.5 million and 15 million, and argued that the policy would push that number higher rather than lower.

There are also concerns that the increase could deepen debts owed to examination bodies by state governments currently covering candidates' fees, with Lagos State cited as an example where the government pays WAEC charges while parents cover NECO costs for those who can afford it. Stakeholders are now awaiting further clarity from the Federal Ministry of Education on how the new fee structure will be implemented from 2027.