Popular Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu has maintained that students should not be required to pay registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) examinations.

Her comments come amid public debate over the Federal Government's proposed increase in registration fees for the two Senior School Certificate Examinations.

Earlier, the Federal Government approved a new registration fee of ₦50,000 for candidates sitting for both WAEC and NECO examinations, with the new rate scheduled to take effect from 2027.

The approval was contained in a memorandum dated June 18, 2026, signed by the Director of Senior Secondary Education in the Federal Ministry of Education, Adeniji Ibrahim, on behalf of the ministry.

The proposal, however, sparked widespread criticism from parents, education stakeholders, civil society groups and members of the public, many of whom argued that the increase would place an additional financial burden on families already facing economic challenges.

Reacting to the development, Aisha Yesufu insisted that access to secondary education should not be hindered by examination costs, arguing that students should not have to pay for national qualifying examinations.

Following the backlash that greeted the announcement, the Federal Government later announced the suspension of the proposed fee increase, putting the implementation of the new registration charges on hold.

The decision has been welcomed by many Nigerians, while discussions continue over how examination funding can be structured in a way that guarantees access to education without imposing excessive financial pressure on students and their families.