Atiku Abubakar Opposes WAEC, NECO Fee Increase in Nigeria

Atiku Abubakar, the former Vice President of Nigeria, condemned the federal government's plan to increase registration fees for the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) to ₦50,000 in 2027. He issued a statement through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, arguing that this decision is insensitive given the economic hardships faced by Nigerian families.

Atiku highlighted that the increase in educational costs could lead to a rise in the number of out-of-school children, as many families already struggle to provide for their children. He called on President Bola Tinubu to withdraw the proposed fee increase and consult relevant stakeholders to develop sustainable funding for public education.

Atiku emphasized that education should remain a right for all Nigerians, not a privilege for the affluent, and criticized the government's reliance on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as insufficient to address the challenges faced by students unable to complete secondary education.