Victory for Nigerians – Peter Obi on suspension of N50,000 WAEC, NECO fees

Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has described the suspension of the recent hike in the fees for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, and the National Examinations Council, NECO, Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, as victory for Nigerians.

The suspension was announced in a statement by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Boriowo Folasade, on Monday.

According to the Federal Government, the June 18th, 2026 letter conveying the hike of WAEC and NECO fees to N50,000 has been withdrawn.

The government said the suspension was to give room for review and further engagement with stakeholders.

In a statement posted on X, Peter Obi said: “I received the welcome news of the suspension of the newly introduced examination fees with relief. This is a victory for the Nigerian people.

“While I commend the authorities for listening to the widespread public outcry and suspending the policy, it must be said that the fee was an unnecessary burden that should never have been introduced at this time of great hardship, when we should be doing everything possible to invest in basic education and reduce the millions of out-of-school children in Nigeria.

“At a time when many families are struggling to make ends meet, access to education should be expanded, not restricted. Education is a fundamental right and a public good, not a source of government revenue.

“Imposing multiple fees at the basic education level risks denying many children their right to education. At that stage, the State has a duty to invest in educating and preparing its citizens for productive lives, not to erect financial barriers that keep them out of school.

“True leadership is demonstrated not only by making decisions but also by having the humility to reverse policies that impose unnecessary hardship on the people. Many other anti-people policies deserve similar reconsideration. I thank the citizens, parents, and advocacy groups whose voices made this reversal possible.”