Cheapest Universities in Nigeria 2026: What Federal and State Universities Really Charge

📌 Quick answer (checked 18 October 2026): Federal universities are still the cheapest way to get a full-time degree in Nigeria, because tuition for undergraduates is free and you pay only “charges” (registration, ICT, laboratory, examination, utilities and so on). But those charges are far higher than the ₦15,000–₦60,000 figures still repeated online. Examples we could confirm: FUTA lists ₦258,000 for new students and ₦68,000–₦80,500 for returning students in 2025/2026 (Legit.ng, updated 17 May 2026); UNILAG’s revised fees for new undergraduates are ₦116,325 (no lab) or ₦166,325 (with lab) (Ripples Nigeria, 15 September 2023). State universities usually charge more. The NELFUND student loan can pay your institutional fees directly if your school is on its list. Always confirm your exact bill on your university’s portal before paying.

If you are searching for the cheapest university in Nigeria, the honest answer in 2026 is that there is no reliable official league table of school fees. Universities publish fees on their own portals, the amounts change from session to session, and they differ by faculty and by whether you are a fresher or a returning student. Many websites still copy fee lists from before 2023, when federal universities charged as little as ₦20,000–₦50,000 a year. Those figures are out of date.

This guide explains what has changed, shows the fee figures we could verify with a named source and date, and gives you a step-by-step method to work out the real cost of any university before you accept an admission offer. We removed the long fee tables from our earlier version because we could not confirm them.

Why federal universities are still the cheapest option

Federal universities do not charge tuition for Nigerian undergraduates. When FUTA students protested higher fees in January 2024, the university’s spokesperson said plainly that “tuition is free” (TheCable, 15 January 2024). What students pay instead are compulsory “charges”: acceptance, registration, ICT, laboratory or studio, examination, medical, sports, library, utilities and similar items.

Because the Federal Government pays staff salaries and most running costs, these charges are still lower than private university fees, which commonly run into hundreds of thousands or millions of naira. For a side-by-side look at private institutions, see our guide to private university school fees in Nigeria.

What changed: the 2023–2024 fee increases

Between 2023 and 2024, many federal universities raised their charges sharply, saying rising electricity, diesel and running costs left them no choice. The reported increases included:

• UNILAG (2023): raised fees, then reviewed them downward after pressure from student bodies. The revised figures are in the table below (Ripples Nigeria, 15 September 2023).
• FUTA (2024): students said fees for returning students rose from ₦29,000 to ₦131,000 and for freshers from ₦108,000 to ₦240,000 (Gazette Nigeria, 15 January 2024). The campus was shut temporarily during the protests.
• University of Ibadan (2024): screenshots from the university portal showed fresher charges of ₦203,500 in one case and ₦412,000 (₦372,000 plus ₦40,000 utility and technology fees) in another, reported by TheCable and Legit.ng on 12 April 2024. The university did not publish an official breakdown in that report.

The lesson is simple: any list that says a federal university costs ₦20,000–₦45,000 a year is almost certainly showing pre-2023 figures.

Verified fee examples: federal universities

These are the only federal university figures we could confirm with a named source and date. They are compulsory charges, not tuition, and they exclude accommodation.

Read this table carefully. The UNILAG and UI figures are from 2023 and 2024 and may have been reviewed since. FUTA’s figures are the most recent we found. Use the table to understand the scale of today’s charges, not as your final bill. If you are going to UNILAG, our step-by-step guide on how to pay UNILAG school fees online shows where to find your own invoice.

Why newer federal universities are not automatically cheaper

Our earlier version said newer federal universities (such as those in Oye-Ekiti, Dutse and Kashere) charge the lowest fees. We could not confirm current figures for them from an official or major news source, so we have removed that claim. Newer universities may have lower charges, but some have also raised fees. Check the bursary page or the admission portal of the specific school.

State universities: usually more expensive than federal

State universities are funded by their state governments, which generally give less per student than the Federal Government. Most therefore charge tuition as well as other charges, and fees vary widely between states. Some states also give discounts to indigenes.

We could not find current, dated fee figures for state universities from official or major news sources, so we have removed the state fee table from our earlier version. When comparing a state university with a federal one, ask the state university for its full fee schedule for your course, and ask whether there is a separate rate for indigenes and non-indigenes.

State universities also have their own strike risks. In August 2026, ASUU gave branches at 20 universities, mostly state-owned, a 14-day ultimatum over poor implementation of the 2025 agreement with the Federal Government, and the Nasarawa State University branch had already declared an indefinite strike (Pulse Nigeria, 11 August 2026). A cheap university that keeps closing can cost you more in lost time and extra rent.

NOUN: the low-cost route without JAMB

The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) is a distance-learning university. You pay per course registered, plus semester charges and an exam fee per course, rather than one large session fee. Because you can study while working and you do not have to live near a campus, the total cost is often lower than a residential university.

NOUN’s fees are widely misreported online, and some copies of its fee pages we tried to check were not working. Our dedicated guide to NOUN school fees for 2026/2027 goes through the charges and explains NOUN’s NYSC and Law School rules, which matter before you choose it.

The costs that are not on your school fee invoice

School fees are often the smaller part of what a university education costs. Budget for these too:

• Acceptance fee: paid once to confirm your admission. FUTA’s is ₦50,000 (Legit.ng, May 2026). Other schools set their own amounts.
• Accommodation: hostel spaces are limited at most public universities, so many students rent off campus. Rent depends heavily on the city: a Lagos or Ibadan room will cost more than one in a smaller town.
• Departmental and faculty dues: often charged separately from the main invoice.
• Feeding, transport and data: these monthly costs, added up over a session, can exceed the school fees at a federal university.
• Lost time: strikes or delayed calendars extend how long you pay rent and living costs.

For a family budget across school-age children and undergraduates, see our back-to-school cost guide.

How to work out the real cost of any university: step by step

1. Get the official fee schedule. Log in to the university’s admission or student portal, or visit the bursary office. Fees shown on blogs and social media are often old.
2. Separate one-off and recurring fees. Acceptance and some first-year charges are paid once. Make sure you know what returning students pay, since that is what you will pay for the next three to five years.
3. Check your faculty. Courses with laboratories or studios (sciences, engineering, medicine, architecture) usually cost more. UNILAG’s revised 2023 fees show a ₦50,000 gap between “no lab” and “with lab” for new students.
4. Price accommodation early. Ask current students about off-campus rent near the school.
5. Add living costs for a full session. Multiply your monthly feeding, transport and data budget by the number of months you will be in school.
6. Check whether your school is on NELFUND’s list. If it is, the loan can cover institutional fees and, if you select it, a monthly upkeep allowance.
7. Look at the strike record. Check recent news about ASUU and the university’s own staff unions before you decide.

Worked example: a FUTA science student

Using the FUTA figures from Legit.ng (May 2026), the fees for a student who finishes in five years would be:

This total covers only the published school charges at today’s rates. It excludes the ₦20,000 application fee Legit.ng also lists, accommodation, feeding, books and departmental dues, and fees may rise in later sessions. Even so, it shows why federal universities remain the cheapest full-time option: the bill for a whole degree is less than many private universities charge for a single year.

NELFUND student loans: help with fees

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) pays institutional fees directly to schools and can pay students a monthly upkeep allowance. From the launch of its portal on 24 May 2024 to 3 September 2026, NELFUND said it had processed 1,659,853 applications and disbursed ₦355.87 billion, of which ₦192.89 billion went to 319 institutions as fees and ₦162.98 billion went to students as upkeep (The Guardian, 3 September 2026).

Two practical points:

• Your school must be on NELFUND’s list of verified institutions. Many state-owned institutions were added after submitting their student data, so check the portal for your school.
• Students who do not select the upkeep option when applying get only the fee payment. NELFUND officials pointed to this, and to wrong bank details, as common reasons students missed upkeep payments (News Agency of Nigeria, July 2026).

For eligibility, documents and repayment rules, read our full guide: NELFUND student loan 2026: how to apply. If your school was paid twice, see how to get a NELFUND tuition refund.

Scholarships worth checking

• Federal Scholarship Board: the Federal Ministry of Education advertises the Nigerian Scholarship Award and the Education Bursary Award on education.gov.ng. They are for full-time students in their second year or above at public institutions, with a high CGPA requirement. Applications are free and no agent is needed.
• State scholarship boards: many states give bursaries to their indigenes. Contact your state ministry of education or scholarship board.
• Private foundations: some foundations fund high UTME scorers. For example, see our guide to the Decagon Foundation undergraduate scholarship.

Getting in: admission matters more than price

The cheapest university is no use if you cannot get admitted to your course there. Federal universities are the most competitive. Check the JAMB cut-off marks for 2026 and how the Post-UTME and admission process works before choosing your first-choice school. A realistic second choice at an affordable federal or state university can save a year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest university in Nigeria in 2026?

There is no official ranking of university fees, so no one can say for certain which single university is cheapest. As a group, federal universities are the cheapest full-time option because undergraduate tuition is free and students pay only charges. NOUN is often the cheapest route overall because you pay per course and can keep working.

Is tuition free in federal universities?

Yes, for Nigerian undergraduates. But compulsory charges can be large: FUTA lists ₦258,000 for new students in 2025/2026 (Legit.ng, May 2026).

Why are the fees I see online so different?

Many sites still show fees from before the 2023–2024 increases. Fees also vary by faculty and by fresher or returning status. Only your university’s portal or bursary can give your exact bill.

Are state universities cheaper than federal universities?

Usually not. State universities generally charge tuition, and their fees vary widely by state. Some offer lower rates for indigenes, so ask.

Can NELFUND pay my school fees?

Yes, if your institution is on NELFUND’s verified list. NELFUND pays the fees directly to the school and can also pay an upkeep allowance if you choose that option when you apply.

Is a NOUN degree recognised?

NOUN is a federal university, and its degrees are recognised. There are specific rules for NYSC and the Nigerian Law School that you should read before enrolling; our NOUN guide explains them.

Do universities still go on strike?

The Federal Government and ASUU signed a new agreement, announced in January 2026. But in August 2026, ASUU gave 20 mostly state-owned universities a 14-day ultimatum over poor implementation of it (Pulse Nigeria, 11 August 2026). Check the latest news for your chosen school.

Sources

1. Legit.ng, “FUTA school fees for 2026 and how to pay acceptance and school fees”, updated 17 May 2026
2. Ripples Nigeria, “Pressured by NANS, UNILAG reviews hike in fees downward”, 15 September 2023
3. Legit.ng, “‘This is Insane’: Nigerians React as UI Reportedly Increases Fee For Freshers to N412,000”, 12 April 2024
4. The Guardian (Nigeria), “NELFUND disburses N355.87b to students, institutions as applications hit 1.66m”, 3 September 2026
5. Pulse Nigeria, “ASUU Strike: Full list of 20 universities given 14-day ultimatum”, 11 August 2026

Last updated: 18 October 2026 · NaijaSabi.