Atiku condemns WAEC/NECO fee hike

Former Vice President and 2027 ADC presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has condemned the Nigerian Federal Government's approval of a uniform ₦50,000 examination fee for WAEC and NECO candidates from 2027, as well as recent increases in Federal Unity College fees. In a statement issued by his spokesperson Phrank Shaibu, Atiku described the policy as cruel, economically insensitive, and incompatible with the government's constitutional duty to make education accessible. He warned that the fee hike would disproportionately affect poor and middle-income families, worsen Nigeria's out-of-school children crisis (estimated at 10.5–15 million), and restrict access to tertiary education. Atiku called on President Bola Tinubu to reverse the fee increases and convene a stakeholders' dialogue on sustainable education financing. He also criticized the Nigeria — Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) as insufficient to address barriers created by higher secondary education costs.