BREAKING: Tinubu Urged to Cancel ₦4,000 WAEC/NECO Verification Fee

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been urged to intervene and cancel the newly introduced ₦4,000 one-off O’Level result verification fee amid concerns over the growing financial burden on students and their families.

The call comes following the introduction of a new result verification arrangement involving the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC).

Under the arrangement announced in September 2026, candidates whose admissions are regulated by JAMB are required to verify their WAEC/WASSCE O’Level results once through the designated JAMB verification platform, with a fee of ₦4,000.

The verified result is then expected to be made available to the relevant tertiary institution for admission screening and processing.

Why the ₦4,000 Fee Was Introduced

JAMB and WAEC explained that the new arrangement was designed to eliminate the repeated verification of the same O’Level result by different institutions.

Previously, admission seekers could be required to verify their academic results at different stages of the admission process, potentially resulting in multiple payments.

Under the new system, the candidate is expected to pay ₦4,000 once, rather than paying separate verification charges to different institutions. Tertiary institutions have also been directed not to demand another verification payment from candidates whose results have already been verified through the JAMB platform.

The agencies said the arrangement is intended to reduce administrative stress, simplify the admission process and strengthen the security and integrity of candidates' academic records.

Critics Want the Fee Cancelled

Despite the stated intention of simplifying the process, the new charge has attracted criticism.

A recent editorial called on President Tinubu to stop the ₦4,000 verification fee, arguing that students and their families are already facing significant financial pressure from the rising cost of education and living expenses.

The criticism centres on whether candidates should be required to pay an additional fee to verify academic results issued by recognised examination bodies.

Critics argue that result verification is an important part of protecting the integrity of Nigeria's admission system, but the cost of providing that service should not necessarily be transferred to students.

The Cost Could Run Into Billions

The financial implications have also become part of the debate.

A total of 1,959,668 candidates reportedly sat for the May/June 2026 WASSCE.

If all of those candidates were to pay ₦4,000 for verification, the resulting amount would be approximately ₦7.84 billion.

Critics say this illustrates why the policy deserves closer examination, particularly given the number of Nigerian families already struggling with school-related expenses and other basic costs.

What Candidates Need to Know

For candidates covered by the JAMB admission process, the current official arrangement is that the ₦4,000 payment is a one-time fee for WAEC/WASSCE O’Level verification through the specified JAMB platform.

Candidates are not supposed to pay their chosen university, polytechnic or college of education another verification fee for the same WAEC result after completing the JAMB verification.

JAMB and WAEC have also stated that candidates can initiate the verification process remotely from a location with internet access.

This means candidates should be cautious about making additional payments to individuals or institutions claiming that another verification fee is required for the same result.

What About NECO Results?

The controversy has also been widely described in public discussions as involving WAEC/NECO O’Level verification.

However, the September 2026 JAMB-WAEC announcement specifically details the WAEC/WASSCE verification arrangement.

NECO operates its own e-Verify platform, which allows individuals and institutions to verify NECO results and generate verification reports. Its system also supports institutional verification and token-based verification.

Candidates using NECO results should therefore confirm the applicable verification requirements through official NECO channels rather than assuming that every aspect of the new JAMB-WAEC arrangement automatically applies to NECO results.

Is the New System Actually Cheaper?

JAMB and WAEC's position is that the new system should reduce the overall cost and stress faced by candidates because they will no longer have to repeatedly verify the same result at different institutions.

The key difference is that the ₦4,000 verification is intended to be paid once, after which the verified result can be shared with the relevant institution for admission-related purposes.

However, critics maintain that the question is not only whether the new arrangement reduces repeated payments.

They are asking a bigger question:

«Should students have to pay the ₦4,000 verification fee at all?»

Calls for Government Intervention

Those opposing the fee are calling on the Federal Government to review the policy and consider alternative ways of funding the verification system.

They argue that government and examination bodies should prioritise making education more accessible, particularly at a time when many Nigerian families are struggling with increasing education and living costs.

The debate has therefore moved beyond the ₦4,000 itself and into a wider discussion about who should finance Nigeria's examination and admission infrastructure.

What Happens Next?

For now, the ₦4,000 one-off WAEC/WASSCE verification arrangement remains the position announced by JAMB and WAEC for candidates whose admissions are regulated through JAMB.

Whether the Federal Government will respond to the growing calls for its cancellation remains to be seen.

As the controversy continues, admission seekers are advised to rely on official information from JAMB, WAEC, NECO and their respective institutions before making any payment.

Stay Updated

The issue is expected to generate further discussions among students, parents, education stakeholders and government officials as the 2026/2027 admission process progresses.

More updates will follow as the Federal Government, JAMB, WAEC or NECO issue further clarification on the matter.