Ex-Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the Federal Government over the reported approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for candidates sitting the West African Senior School Certificate Examination and the National Examinations Council examinations from 2027, warning that the policy would deny millions of children access to education.

Atiku also condemned the recent increase in fees charged by Federal Unity Colleges, describing the measures as economically insensitive and inconsistent with the government’s constitutional obligation to make education accessible to every Nigerian child.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former Vice President said the Tinubu-led government is imposing additional financial burdens on families already struggling under the weight of inflation, rising food prices, high transportation costs, electricity tariff increases and widespread unemployment.

Atiku warned that higher examination fees would disproportionately affect children from poor and middle-income households, many of whose parents are already forced to choose between meeting basic needs and paying school-related expenses.

He further argued that the proposed ₦50,000 fee for WAEC and NECO examinations would create another barrier to tertiary education for indigent students.

He also linked the issue to what he described as the limited admission capacity of Nigerian universities.

He noted that although more than two million candidates seek admission into tertiary institutions annually, public universities admit only between 500,000 and 700,000 students because of inadequate infrastructure.

“Rather than addressing this structural deficit by expanding infrastructure and increasing admission capacity, the government is effectively constricting access even further through higher Unity School fees and the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee. The result is a cruel double punishment,” he said.

The former Vice President also questioned the government’s emphasis on the Nigerian Education Loan Fund, arguing that student loans cannot compensate for policies that make it difficult for children to complete secondary education or sit qualifying examinations.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the increase in Unity School fees and shelve the proposed ₦50,000 WAEC and NECO examination fee, while convening a stakeholders’ dialogue on sustainable financing of public education.

He also urged the Federal Government to invest more in public schools, recruit additional teachers, expand the capacity of tertiary institutions and ensure that no Nigerian child is denied education because of financial hardship.

The statement comes amid growing public debate over the affordability of education following recent increases in school-related charges and concerns about the rising cost of living.

Although the Federal Government has introduced NELFUND to improve access to tertiary education, critics argue that affordability challenges begin much earlier in the education value chain, particularly at the secondary school level where students must complete qualifying examinations before seeking university admission.

The plan to introduce a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2027 has also sparked widespread public reactions, with stakeholders calling for clarity from the relevant authorities on the policy.