‘Why wait for public outrage’ — Atiku reacts to WAEC, NECO fee reversal

Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees, saying the decision followed widespread public opposition to the proposed fee increase.

The position was contained in a statement posted on Atiku’s official page on July 13, 2026.

According to Atiku, the suspension followed widespread criticism of the proposed fee increase by parents, students, civil society organisations and other stakeholders.

He argued that the proposed increase would have placed an additional financial burden on families and limited access to education for many Nigerian children.

“I welcome the Federal Government’s decision to suspend the proposed increase in WAEC and NECO registration fees. This reversal is a victory for the Nigerian people.”

“This decision vindicates the concerns I expressed when I warned that pricing public examinations beyond the reach of ordinary Nigerians would deepen educational inequality, worsen the out-of-school children crisis, and deny countless brilliant but indigent students the opportunity to pursue higher education,” Atiku said.

Atiku also questioned why the government, according to him, only reversed the policy after widespread public opposition.

“However, the question remains: why must this government always wait for public outrage before correcting policies that should never have been conceived in the first place?”

He further called on the Federal Government to engage relevant stakeholders in developing a sustainable funding model for WAEC and NECO without transferring the financial burden to parents and students.

He also urged the Federal Government to consult stakeholders before introducing policies affecting Nigerians, arguing that wider public engagement would improve policy decisions.