The Federal Government on Monday suspended the proposed upward review of registration fees for the 2027 West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council Senior School Certificate Examination, following widespread public reactions and calls for a reconsideration of the plan.
The Federal Ministry of Education, in a statement issued by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, announced that it had withdrawn the June 18, 2026, letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment to pave the way for broader consultations with key stakeholders before any final decision is taken.
The decision comes barely days after the proposed increase sparked criticism from students, parents, education stakeholders and civil society groups, with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the National Association of Nigerian Students rejecting the planned hike and urging the government to reverse it over concerns about the rising cost of education.
According to the ministry, the suspension followed a directive by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who ordered that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to transparent, inclusive and evidence-based policymaking.
“The letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken,” the statement said.
The ministry said it had taken note of the concerns and constructive feedback expressed by Nigerians, describing the public engagement as a demonstration of the country’s collective interest in ensuring access to quality education.
It explained that the proposed fee review was driven by the increasing cost of conducting credible national examinations, noting that examination registration fees had remained largely unchanged for years despite rising operational expenses.
According to the ministry, costs associated with logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment, quality assurance and other critical examination processes have increased significantly.
“Nevertheless, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, has directed that the proposal be placed on hold in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to inclusive, transparent and evidence-based policymaking,” the statement added.
The ministry stressed that the decision reflected the government’s determination to ensure that policies affecting millions of students and their families were carefully considered and socially responsive.
It disclosed that the fresh review process would involve extensive consultations with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents’ associations, organised labour, education stakeholders and other critical partners.
The ministry said the consultations would ensure that any future decision on examination registration fees was fair, transparent, financially sustainable and responsive to prevailing economic realities without undermining access to education.
It clarified that the proposed review of the examination registration fees would no longer take effect as earlier communicated until the consultation process was concluded.
The ministry also reaffirmed that the welfare of students, equitable access to quality education and responsible policymaking remain central to President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for the education sector.