Students protest NECO’s new N50,000 fee for certificate reprints

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Wednesday strongly opposed the National Examination Council’s (NECO) decision to impose a N50,000 fee for certificate reprints.

 that NECO announced the new policy on September 30, 2024, in a statement by its Registrar, Dantani Wushishi, in Minna, Niger State. The policy stated that the N50,000 fee would be subject to periodic review, and reprint requests would only be approved within one year of the original certificate issuance.

In response, NANS Senate Clerk Abdulyekinn Odunayo condemned the fee as “outrageous” and accused NECO of commercializing education. In a statement, Odunayo argued that the fee places an unacceptable financial burden on students, especially at a time when many are struggling due to economic hardship.

“The economic challenges faced by Nigerian students are severe, and this new policy by NECO casts doubt on the organization’s commitment to providing accessible education,” he said.

Odunayo’s statement further read: “The National Association of Nigerian Students unequivocally condemns the outrageous decision by NECO to impose a N50,000 fee for certificate reprints. This draconian policy is a slap in the face of Nigerian students already struggling with financial hardships.”

NANS expressed concerns over the lack of transparency in NECO’s fee structure, calling it an indicator of potential mismanagement and inefficient service delivery. The student body also demanded a reversal of the fee, a reduction to a more affordable amount, an extension of the reprint request deadline to five years, and a stakeholder engagement to promote student-focused decision-making.

“We will not stand by while education is commercialized and students are exploited. NECO must reconsider this decision,” the statement concluded.