The Federal Ministry of Education has suspended the proposed ₦50,000 registration fee for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination, pending broader consultations with stakeholders.

A statement issued on Monday by the Director, Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, confirmed that the letter conveying the fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, had been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review before a final decision is reached.

The ministry disclosed that the suspension followed concerns and feedback raised by members of the public, and noted that the proposed fee increase had been driven by rising costs tied to logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, and quality assurance required to maintain the credibility of national examinations.

Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government's commitment to inclusive, transparent, and evidence based policymaking, according to the statement.

Consultations will now be held with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents' associations, organised labour and other education stakeholders before any decision is reached, the ministry explained.

It confirmed that the proposed review would not take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process concludes, adding that students' welfare and equitable access to quality education remain central to the Federal Government's education agenda.

The fee review had initially proposed raising the registration charge from ₦27,500 to ₦50,000, representing an 82% increase. The approval was first conveyed on 18 June 2026 by the Director of Senior Secondary Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, following a request from the West African Examinations Council for an upward review of Senior School Certificate Examination fees from 2027.

The proposed hike had drawn strong opposition from former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students, both of whom faulted the Federal Government over the planned increase before Monday's suspension.