Opinion
The Scourge Of Examination Bodies
The West African Examination Council (WAEC) is well recognised by many people in virtually all the Anglophone West African sub-region.
The reason for this popularity is because the body is responsible for the conduct of examinations thus determining the fate of thousands of candidates in the pursuit of their academic and professional ideals. The increase of examination fees by WAEC in recent times to N500 and above therefore should reflect the improved chance of candidates to register for examinations with ease and the accomplishment of their goals without putting too much strain on the candidates’ families and guardians.
But instead of council to alleviate the financial pressure exerted on the people it has failed to consider the inequality that exists amongst the people. The increase in examination fees implicitly means that any candidates from a poor family may not be able to register for the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination and other academic and professional examinations such as JAMB, Business Health and Catering examinations. This has been made more cumbersome by the cost of their overhead expenses.
The breakdown of the expenses is as follows: examination fee N500.00 commissions on postal order N500.00; self-addressed stamped envelopes N100.00; passport photographs and transport expenses N1,500.00 or above. This is a conservative estimate, it may be higher in some instances.
But the above ordeal which WAEC has made candidates to go through can be abolished or minimised by the creation of cash centres where candidates can pay cash and at the same time collect their entry forms instead of being subjected to other tedious procedures like buying of bank drafts stamps etc.
There is need for WAEC to charge less fees to enable candidates from less privileged “ homes to participate fully during examination periods. In this era of providing education for all, it would be necessary that the reduction of examination fees by WAEC would also be beneficiary and benevolent in achieving this objective since by so doing many candidates would enter into examinations. The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board has been observed to be another high profit making body. A conservative estimate of JAMB’s harvest on sales of forms for 2009 UME and PCE examinations alone was put at ten million naira (N10m) considering the figure of 300,000 and 400,000 for the two examinations respectively. This amount does not include fees paid by those applying for direct entry admission.
According to MR. CHARLES NWOKO said that government should release NECO examination form prices, apart from skyrocket the price that if we compare the market women who is selling in the market all things suppose to be minimised while WAEC charging over N14,000.00 to N16,000.00 being school fees for the year.
It is therefore mandatory to ask JAMB and WAEC to publish their audit of accounts income and expenditure, this is to enable us assess the financial commitment they have put into the examination body and to ascertain and justify their duties.
WAEC and JAMB should be able to convince all the candidates who enter for examinations of the amount of money spent apart from the subvention received from the government. And why they should charge more than expectation for each of its examinations; why it considers other expense to be shouldered by the candidates themselves, the cost of printing of examination papers notwithstanding for example, the price of the GCE form N 6,200, NECO N 7,200 and UME N 5,000.
With the exorbitant cost of examination fees, one would have thought that everything is guaranteed, but this is far from the truth with every passing year, cases of delay in receiving examination notices and examination results is rampant thus deflating the aspiration of candidates for academic and career pursuits.
Nigerians, especially during this period of examination always go the very length to cheat their fellow compatriots. Observers said that some post offices and other establishment where JAMB and PCE forms are offered for sales to candidates are being hoarded by unscrupulous officials. These forms are instead sold at astronomical prices, thus making extra money for themselves at the detriment of the candidates.
However, the only solution to this problem of loss of confidence in this examination body is to reconstitute it. The sub-regional governments should re-organise WAEC and ensure that it performs its duties and objectives as required of it. Workers of the examination bodies should be disciplined and made accountable to the candidates whose aspiration they need to guarantee. The profits made by the examination body should be re-invested in purchasing printing machines, materials and provision of conducive conditions during examinations and for sending prompt notices, information and results to candidates on time.
Prince Sintrials Etim
From all indications, Nigeria possesses enough human and material resources to become a true economic powerhouse in Africa. According to the National Population Commission (NPC, 2023), the country’s population has grown steadily within the last decade, presently standing at about 220 million people—mostly young, vibrant, and innovative. Nigeria also remains the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, with enormous reserves of gas, fertile agricultural land, and human capital.
Yet, despite this enormous potential, the country continues to grapple with underdevelopment, poverty, unemployment, and insecurity. Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS, 2023) show that about 129 million Nigerians currently live below the poverty line. Most families can no longer afford basic necessities, even as the government continues to project a rosy economic picture.
The Subsidy Question
The removal of fuel subsidy in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been one of the most controversial policy decisions in Nigeria’s recent history. According to the president, subsidy removal was designed to reduce fiscal burden, unify the foreign exchange rate, attract investment, curb inflation, and discourage excessive government borrowing.
While these objectives are theoretically sound, the reality for ordinary Nigerians has been severe hardship. Fuel prices more than tripled, transportation costs surged, and food inflation—already high—rose above 30% (NBS, 2023). The World Bank (2023) estimates that an additional 7.1 million Nigerians were pushed into poverty after subsidy removal.
A Critical Economic View
As an economist, I argue that the problem was not subsidy removal itself—which was inevitable—but the timing, sequencing, and structural gaps in Nigeria’s implementation.
- Structural Miscalculation
Nigeria’s four state-owned refineries remain nonfunctional. By removing subsidies without local refining capacity, the government exposed the economy to import-price pass-through effects—where global oil price shocks translate directly into domestic inflation. This was not just a timing issue but a fundamental policy miscalculation.
- Neglect of Social Safety Nets
Countries like Indonesia (2005) and Ghana (2005) removed subsidies successfully only after introducing cash transfers, transport vouchers, and food subsidies for the poor (World Bank, 2005). Nigeria, however, implemented removal abruptly, shifting the fiscal burden directly onto households without protection.
- Failure to Secure Food and Energy Alternatives
Fuel subsidy removal amplified existing weaknesses in agriculture and energy. Instead of sequencing reforms, government left Nigerians without refinery capacity, renewable energy alternatives, or mechanized agricultural productivity—all of which could have cushioned the shock.
Political and Public Concerns
Prominent leaders have echoed these concerns. Mr. Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, described the subsidy removal as “good but wrongly timed.” Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party also faulted the government’s hasty approach. Human rights activists like Obodoekwe Stive stressed that refineries should have been made functional first, to reduce the suffering of citizens.
This is not just political rhetoric—it reflects a widespread economic reality. When inflation climbs above 30%, when purchasing power collapses, and when households cannot meet basic needs, the promise of reform becomes overshadowed by social pain.
Broader Implications
The consequences of this policy are multidimensional:
- Inflationary Pressures – Food inflation above 30% has made nutrition unaffordable for many households.
- Rising Poverty – 7.1 million Nigerians have been newly pushed into poverty (World Bank, 2023).
- Middle-Class Erosion – Rising transport, rent, and healthcare costs are squeezing household incomes.
- Debt Concerns – Despite promises, government borrowing has continued, raising sustainability questions.
- Public Distrust – When government promises savings but citizens feel only pain, trust in leadership erodes.
In effect, subsidy removal without structural readiness has widened inequality and eroded social stability.
Missed Opportunities
Nigeria’s leaders had the chance to approach subsidy removal differently:
- Refinery Rehabilitation – Ensuring local refining to reduce exposure to global oil price shocks.
- Renewable Energy Investment – Diversifying energy through solar, hydro, and wind to reduce reliance on imported petroleum.
- Agricultural Productivity – Mechanization, irrigation, and smallholder financing could have boosted food supply and stabilized prices.
- Social Safety Nets – Conditional cash transfers, food vouchers, and transport subsidies could have protected the most vulnerable.
Instead, reform came abruptly, leaving citizens to absorb all the pain while waiting for theoretical long-term benefits.
Conclusion: Reform With a Human Face
Fuel subsidy removal was inevitable, but Nigeria’s approach has worsened hardship for millions. True reform must go beyond fiscal savings to protect citizens.
Economic policy is not judged only by its efficiency but by its humanity. A well-sequenced reform could have balanced fiscal responsibility with equity, ensuring that ordinary Nigerians were not crushed under the weight of sudden change.
Nigeria has the resources, population, and resilience to lead Africa’s economy. But leadership requires foresight. It requires policies that are inclusive, humane, and strategically sequenced.
Reform without equity is displacement of poverty, not development. If Nigeria truly seeks progress, its policies must wear a human face.
References
- National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). (2023). Poverty and Inequality Report. Abuja.
- National Population Commission (NPC). (2023). Population Estimates. Abuja.
- World Bank. (2023). Nigeria Development Update. Washington, DC.
- World Bank. (2005). Fuel Subsidy Reforms: Lessons from Indonesia and Ghana. Washington, DC.
- OPEC. (2023). Annual Statistical Bulletin. Vienna.
By: Amarachi Amaugo