The Federal Government has approved a new examination fee of ₦50,000 for candidates sitting the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examinations (SSCE), with the new rate taking effect from the 2027 examination cycle.
The approval was conveyed in a statement dated June 18, 2026, and signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education at the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, following a request by WAEC for an upward review of the SSCE registration fee.
The new fee represents an 82 per cent increase from the current ₦27,500 charged per candidate.
According to the ministry, the decision followed a meeting held on March 31, 2026, between the Minister of Education and examination bodies, where stakeholders considered the need to review examination fees in response to prevailing operational realities.
The minister also directed that both WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform examination fee for the conduct of their Senior School Certificate Examinations.
“You may recall that at a meeting of examination bodies held with the Honourable Minister of Education on 31 March, 2026, where the need for upward review of examination fees was discussed, the Honourable Minister directed that WAEC and NECO should adopt a uniform fee for the conduct of WAEC and NECO SSCE,” the statement read.
It added that the Minister had approved ₦50,000 as the new examination fee per candidate, with effect from the 2027 NECO SSCE (Internal), a rate that will also apply to WAEC examinations.
The Federal Ministry of Education directed that the new policy be communicated to all relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate preparation ahead of its implementation.
The fee adjustment is expected to affect candidates registering for the 2027 Senior School Certificate Examinations nationwide.
