In a country where families are juggling rising food prices, rent, amongst others. The idea that some parents are paying millions in annual tuition feels almost unreal.
This sparks disbelief for some with a question of who can actually afford this.
Education has always been seen as a path to a better future in Nigeria. Nigerian parents, regardless of income level, are known to stretch their finances to give their children what they believe is a good start.
Cost-of-living surveys reported by Nairametrics show education remains one of the top household expenses.
At the very top of these education expenses are elite schools that offer premium education, with classrooms equipped with advanced technologies and fully fitted science labs.
Extracurricular activities that go beyond the typical Nigerian debate club and football, extending to entrepreneurship incubators where students were groomed to build and pitch real ventures and exposed to international environments from an early age.
Many of these schools operate foreign curricula, including British, American systems and sometimes blended with elements of the Nigerian curriculum.
They often recruit top-tier educators, including expatriate teachers and specialist subject instructors, to deliver these international standards.
Academics, however, tell only part of the story, for many parents; the appeal lies in the network these schools cultivate and the social capital their children acquire.
Students grow alongside peers from influential families, forming relationships that can shape future careers, partnerships, and opportunities long after graduation.
Here are the most expensive schools in Nigeria.
British International School Lagos (BIS) is a British international school in Oniru Private Estate in Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria. The school is a premier co-educational institution for students aged 11–18, offering a British National Curriculum, preparing pupils for IGCSE and A‑Level examinations, qualifications that are recognised by top universities around the world.
BIS was established in 2001 and has an average class size of 20 students, with a maximum of 20 students per class.
The school has established itself as a leading British-style educational institution serving both Nigerian and expatriate students. It has both day and boarding students, with boarders accounting for roughly one-third of the current student body.
Annual tuition fees are about N6.1 million for day students and N8.1 million for boarders.
It was before when education was priority of every home not now