The Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the Federal Government's approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council candidates from 2027, warning that the policy will deepen Nigeria's out of school children crisis and price millions of young Nigerians out of secondary education.

In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the increase as economically insensitive and incompatible with the government's constitutional obligation to make education accessible to every Nigerian child.

"It is unconscionable that at a time when Nigerian families are battling record inflation, soaring food prices, rising transportation costs, crippling electricity tariffs, stagnant incomes and widespread unemployment, the Tinubu administration has chosen to make education even more expensive," he said.

Atiku noted that between 10.5 million and 15 million Nigerian children and young people are already out of school and argued that a government confronted with such an emergency should invest in bringing those children back into school rather than introducing policies that would swell those numbers. He also faulted the government's promotion of the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, noting that such a scheme offered little to a child already unable to afford the qualifying examinations required for university admission. He called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the fee and convene an urgent stakeholders' dialogue on sustainable financing for public education.

The National Association of Nigerian Students also rejected the approval, with its President, Akinteye Babatunde Afeez, describing the decision as insensitive to prevailing economic realities. The body warned that candidates sitting both examinations would face a combined cost of ₦100,000, excluding additional school charges, and faulted the ministry for acting without consulting student representatives.

"A decision of this magnitude, affecting millions of students across the country, cannot be made unilaterally by the Ministry of Education. Anything for us, without us, is against us," NANS stated.

The Campaign for Equal Rights and Opportunities for All Nigerians condemned the increase through its Secretary, Francis Odiir, who warned that the policy was disconnected from the realities facing ordinary Nigerians. "Parents are already battling to provide food for their families. At a time like this, increasing examination fees is simply not right," he said.

Among education stakeholders interviewed separately in Abuja, educationist Beatrice Oke acknowledged that a fee review had been anticipated given rising logistics and operational costs, but maintained that the percentage increase was too high and could force some students out of school. A private school owner, Funmilayo Soyoye, echoed those concerns, warning that the sharp increase ignored current economic realities and could discourage many young people from pursuing opportunities that require certificate verification. 

Not all voices opposed the review. Education consultant Olamide Ogunkoya offered a more measured view, arguing that the increase could be justified if the funds were channelled into strengthening certificate verification systems and digital infrastructure, provided the government balanced cost recovery with affordability and conducted wider consultations before implementation.