Nursery and preschool places at Lagos international schools run from roughly USD 2,500 to 20,000 a year, sitting below the premium whole school figures that lead West Africa's largest international market.
Lagos runs the largest international school market in West Africa, serving an expat community concentrated in oil and gas, banking, telecoms and multinational manufacturing. The premium American and British schools quote almost exclusively in United States dollars given long running naira volatility, so the early years figures here are published in dollars. Several of the premium names, including the American International School of Lagos and the British International School Lagos, admit children from early childhood upward.
The bands below are indicative early years figures drawn from the tier structure in our Lagos fees guide, and the early years sit below the whole school premium of USD 22,000 to 32,000 a year. Confirm the exact early childhood schedule with each school, as nursery fees are published separately from the senior rates. Start from the Lagos schools hub to shortlist by curriculum and neighbourhood.
| Tier | Annual fee (USD) | Typical schools |
|---|---|---|
| Premium international | USD 12,000 to 20,000 | American International School of Lagos early childhood, British International School Lagos early years, Grange School |
| Upper mid international | USD 6,000 to 12,000 | Greensprings School, Lekki British School, Children's International School |
| Nigerian international | USD 2,500 to 6,000 | Established Nigerian curriculum schools with strong English early years |
School names illustrate each band and are indicative rather than exact quotes for your child year. Confirm current fees directly with each school before you budget.
Tuition is only part of the early years bill. Total cost of a place typically adds 12 to 18 per cent to headline fees. The line items below are indicative bands from our Lagos fees research and should be confirmed with each school.
| Cost | Indicative band | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration or enrolment | USD 600 to 2,000 one off | Non refundable, charged when a place is confirmed at the premium schools. |
| School bus | USD 1,500 to 3,500 a year | Distance based, and critical in Lagos given the traffic across the mainland and island. |
| Uniform and devices | USD 200 to 1,400 a year | Uniform from about USD 200, with tablet programmes adding more in the upper early years. |
| Lunch and trips | USD 500 to 2,500 a year | Lunch is typically opt in but common, with trips added through the year. |
Bands above are indicative ranges, not a single school quote. Always confirm current figures in a school fee schedule before budgeting.
Curriculum and currency are the first lever. The American and British premium schools bill in dollars and staff their early years largely with overseas hires, which sits at the top of the range, while the strong Nigerian international schools with English early years come in materially lower. The American International School of Lagos anchors the premium tier with its dedicated United States curriculum focus.
Location and facilities drive the rest. The premium schools on Victoria Island, Ikoyi and the Lekki corridor sit on secure purpose built campuses whose capital costs feed into fees, and schools such as Greensprings School and Lekki British School offer strong early years at the upper middle of the range. A Nigerian international school can deliver solid English early years at a lower price, usually trading facilities rather than teaching quality.
Tuition is the headline, but the acceptance fee, transport and extras add up. Use our comparison tool to line up Lagos fees against the city your offer is in.
Open the fee comparison toolThe currency exposure catches families out first. The naira has been highly volatile since the 2022 reforms, and while schools billing in dollars insulate expat families, those paying in naira have faced fee rises of 25 to 40 per cent in local terms even as dollar fees rose only 4 to 6 per cent. Most expat employer education allowances for Lagos are now structured in dollars for this reason.
Transport and the one off charges come next. Lagos traffic makes the school bus a critical line at USD 1,500 to 3,500 a year, and premium schools apply a one off registration fee of USD 600 to 2,000 when a place is confirmed, separate from tuition and due before the first term. Uniform, devices, lunch and trips add further across the early years.
For the older stages, browse the profiles on the Lagos schools hub, including the Grange School, or read the full Lagos international school fees guide. To weigh Lagos against another city, the international school fee calculator totals tuition plus living costs.
Nursery and preschool places at Lagos international schools run from roughly USD 2,500 to 20,000 a year. The premium American and British schools sit at the top, while the strong Nigerian international schools with English early years sit lower.
The premium American and British schools quote almost exclusively in United States dollars to insulate the school and its largely expat faculty from long running naira volatility. Some schools offer naira payment at official rate equivalents.
Several premium schools run early childhood departments, including the American International School of Lagos, the British International School Lagos, Grange School, Greensprings School and Lekki British School.
Total cost of a place adds 12 to 18 per cent to headline fees. Expect a one off registration fee, a school bus charge that is critical given Lagos traffic, plus uniform, devices, lunch and trips.
Yes. Early years fees sit below the whole school premium of USD 22,000 to 32,000 a year. Our banding is indicative, so confirm the exact early childhood schedule with each school before you budget.
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