The Federal Government’s decision to approve a uniform registration fee of ₦50,000 for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations from 2027 has sparked understandable concern across Nigeria.
For many families already struggling under the weight of inflation and declining purchasing power, the announcement feels like yet another financial hurdle. Yet, viewed from the perspective of the examination bodies, the increase is hardly surprising.
Nigeria’s economic landscape has changed dramatically since 2023.
The removal of petrol subsidies, the floating of the naira and the inflationary spiral that followed have pushed up the cost of virtually every good and service. Examination bodies have not been insulated from these realities. Printing secure examination materials, transporting them across the country, paying supervisors, investing in technology, maintaining examination centres and preserving the integrity of the process have all become considerably more expensive. Expecting examination fees to remain static in such an environment would be unrealistic. The challenge, however, lies not in whether the increase is economically justifiable. It lies in who bears the burden.
Some years ago, I volunteered in a private secondary school in a modest community. It was an experience that transformed my understanding of educational poverty. Many students came to school without prescribed textbooks. Some had no exercise books. Others borrowed pens and pencils from classmates simply to participate in lessons. They persevered through years of learning with remarkable determination, hoping that education would become their pathway out of poverty.
Graduation year often presented the greatest obstacle. Families that had somehow managed to keep their children in school suddenly faced the daunting cost of external examinations. Those who eventually raised enough money to register frequently performed below their true potential because years of inadequate learning resources had left deep academic gaps. To improve their chances of securing enough credits for admission into tertiary institutions, many candidates registered for both WAEC and NECO. This practice is now common among all students.
Beginning in 2027, that decision will cost approximately ₦100,000 in registration fees alone.
That figure exceeds Nigeria’s national minimum wage of ₦70,000 by ₦30,000. It does not include transportation, extra coaching, practical materials where applicable or the numerous incidental expenses that accompany the examination period. For countless households, the certificate that should represent years of hard work may simply become financially unattainable.
Some state governments have recognised this reality for years by paying examination fees for candidates in public secondary schools. Their interventions have enabled thousands of students to complete their education despite severe financial constraints. Yet not every state possesses the fiscal capacity or political commitment to sustain such programmes, especially as costs continue to rise.
Education occupies a unique place in national development. Unlike many other services, it cannot be surrendered entirely to the unforgiving logic of the marketplace. Every nation that has achieved sustained economic transformation has done so upon the foundation of broad access to quality education. When financial barriers prevent young people from completing secondary education, the consequences extend far beyond individual families. They affect productivity, social mobility, innovation, national security and long-term economic growth.
Nigeria is already battling millions of out-of-school children, one of the highest figures anywhere in the world. A significant increase in examination costs risks deepening an already troubling crisis. Many students may remain enrolled but fail to complete the final step that validates their years of schooling. Others may quietly abandon the journey altogether.
The solution should not be to reverse the fee increase without addressing the financial realities confronting WAEC and NECO. That would merely transfer the burden to institutions whose own operational costs have risen sharply. Instead, the country should search for mechanisms that preserve both institutional sustainability and equitable access.
The Federal Government and state governments should consider targeted subsidies or examination support schemes for students from low-income households. Existing social intervention programmes can be expanded to include examination assistance. Corporate organisations, education-focused foundations, philanthropists and non-governmental organisations should also begin to regard examination sponsorship as a critical investment in national development rather than an act of charity.
Even then, private generosity cannot close the entire gap. The responsibility ultimately rests with government because education is a public good whose benefits extend to every citizen. An educated population strengthens democracy, expands the economy, reduces crime and creates opportunities that reverberate across generations.
The approval of a ₦50,000 examination fee should therefore serve not only as an announcement of higher costs but also as a call to action. If the nation accepts the increase without building a corresponding safety net for vulnerable students, Nigeria may inadvertently widen educational inequality and weaken one of the few ladders that still offers hope to millions of young people.
The cost of administering examinations may have risen. The cost of denying children the opportunity to complete their education will be far greater.
Mr. Adjekuko is a Trustee of the Education Champions League. However, this article does not represent the official position of ECL.
