The Federal Government has suspended its proposed ₦50,000 registration fee for West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council candidates, withdrawing the June 18, 2026 circular that communicated the adjustment pending a comprehensive review and broader stakeholder consultations.

The Federal Ministry of Education announced the suspension on Monday in a statement signed by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Folasade Boriowo, citing public concerns and constructive feedback from Nigerians as the basis for the decision.

"The Federal Ministry of Education announced that the letter conveying the proposed fee adjustment, dated 18 June 2026, has been withdrawn to allow for a comprehensive review and broader consultations with all relevant stakeholders before a final decision is taken," the statement read.

The ministry acknowledged that the proposed review was initially driven by rising operational costs associated with conducting national examinations, noting that registration fees had remained largely unchanged for several years despite increasing expenses in logistics, security, printing of examination materials, technology deployment and quality assurance.

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

"The Honourable Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, CON, 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 said.

The ministry said it would engage extensively with examination bodies, state ministries of education, school proprietors and administrators, parents' associations, organised labour and other critical partners before any final decision is reached. It stressed that the proposed increase would not take effect until the consultation process had been concluded.

The ministry reaffirmed that students' welfare, equitable access to quality education, and responsible policymaking remained central to the Federal Government's education agenda, and pledged to keep the public informed throughout the review process.

The suspension follows widespread public backlash after the ministry approved a uniform ₦50,000 fee representing an 82% increase on the previous rate of ₦27,500 for WAEC candidates and a rise from ₦30,000 for NECO candidates.