10 Cheapest Federal Universities in Nigeria in 2026 and Their School Fees

University education in Nigeria is no longer as cheap as many old articles online suggest.

You may still find lists claiming that students at major federal universities pay only ₦20,000 or ₦30,000 per session, but many of those figures are outdated.

Federal universities are still generally among the most affordable universities in Nigeria because they receive government funding, but students now pay registration charges, ICT fees, laboratory fees, medical charges, utilities and other levies.

So which federal universities are actually among the cheapest in Nigeria in 2026?

This guide compares some of the most affordable options using the latest fee schedules we could verify.

Quick Answer

Some of the cheapest federal universities in Nigeria include:

1. Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA)
2. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUSOK)
3. Bayero University Kano (BUK)
4. Federal University Dutse (FUD)
5. University of Lagos (UNILAG)
6. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)
7. University of Ibadan (UI)
8. Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)
9. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB)
10. Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI)

However, there is an important warning.

There is no single school fee that applies to every student in a university.

Medicine, Nursing, Engineering, Pharmacy and other laboratory-based programmes often cost more than Arts, Education, Social Sciences and Management courses.

Fresh students also usually pay more than returning students.

Cheapest Federal Universities in Nigeria: A quick look

Important: These figures are for comparison, not payment instructions. Always confirm the exact amount generated on your university portal before paying.

1. Federal University Dutsin-Ma (FUDMA)

Location: Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State

FUDMA remains one of the federal universities worth considering if affordability is one of your biggest concerns.

A commonly published 2026/2027 schedule puts compulsory fresh-student charges at about ₦66,800, with a separate acceptance fee and additional charges applying to some programmes.

Returning students may pay less.

However, FUDMA's official student portal generates individual payment information, so prospective students should confirm their exact bill there before making any payment. The university's official portal remains the final authority on what each student owes.

Courses that require laboratories, workshops, SIWES or teaching practice may attract extra charges.

Why consider FUDMA?

• relatively affordable charges
• federal university
• wide range of programmes
• located in a generally less expensive city than Lagos or Abuja

2. Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto (UDUSOK)

Location: Sokoto, Sokoto State

UDUSOK is another federal university with comparatively low student charges.

Its official 2024/2025 schedule shows some Arts and Social Science programmes at around ₦67,260 to ₦72,660 at certain levels.

Computer Science was listed at ₦93,660 for 300 level, while Engineering and many health-related programmes were around ₦124,860 or higher depending on level.

The important lesson here is that saying:

“UDUSOK school fees are ₦70,000”

would be misleading.

Your programme and level matter.

The latest official public schedule we found was for 2024/2025, so students entering a newer session should check the university portal for updated charges.

3. Bayero University Kano (BUK)

Location: Kano, Kano State

BUK provides one of the clearest current fee schedules among Nigerian federal universities.

For the 2025/2026 session, its official undergraduate registration portal lists fresh-student charges such as:

• Arts programmes: about ₦106,300
• Business Administration: ₦106,300
• Computer Science: ₦111,300
• Engineering: ₦112,300
• Architecture: ₦116,300
• Nursing Science: ₦151,300
• Medical Laboratory Science: ₦151,300
• MBBS: ₦171,300
• Dentistry: ₦171,300

Returning students generally pay slightly less.

This is a good example of why you should not rely on websites claiming BUK students still pay only ₦20,000 or ₦30,000.

BUK remains affordable compared with many alternatives, but current charges are higher than old fee lists suggest.

4. Federal University Dutse (FUD)

Location: Dutse, Jigawa State

Federal University Dutse is another relatively affordable option.

The published 2025/2026 fee schedule indicates approximately:

• Arts and Social Sciences fresh students: ₦119,000
• Management Sciences: ₦119,000
• Education: ₦119,000
• Computing: ₦129,000
• Agriculture: ₦136,000
• Nursing: ₦169,000
• MBBS: ₦201,000

Returning students in many non-medical programmes pay less.

The official university portal confirms that students generate their individual school-fee invoices through the FUD portal, so the amount shown there should always be treated as final.

5. University of Lagos (UNILAG)

Location: Lagos State

UNILAG is interesting because the university officially lists undergraduate tuition as nil, but students still pay obligatory institutional charges.

Under its detailed official fee schedule, fresh students were charged:

• courses without laboratory/studio: ₦116,325
• courses with laboratory/studio: ₦166,300

Students also had applicable utility and toxicology charges.

That brought the effective fresh-student amount to roughly ₦141,325 for a non-laboratory programme under that published structure, before other applicable faculty or departmental charges.

A November 2025 UNILAG notice confirms that fee generation still depends on whether the programme is Science or Non-Science and whether the student is a fresher, returning or graduating student.

One important consideration is cost of living.

UNILAG may have reasonable institutional charges, but accommodation, transportation and feeding in Lagos can make your total university expenses much higher.

6. Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU)

Location: Ile-Ife, Osun State

OAU is another major federal university that remains relatively affordable compared with many private institutions.

An official university document gives the undergraduate charges as:

• Arts, Social Sciences and Administration freshers: ₦161,000
• Science, Technology, Agriculture and related programmes: ₦171,000
• Pharmacy: ₦194,000
• Basic Medical Sciences, Clinical Sciences and Dentistry: ₦194,000

Returning students generally pay less.

OAU also states that accommodation is paid separately.

So a prospective student should not look only at the ₦161,000 school charge when estimating the full cost of studying there.

7. University of Ibadan (UI)

Location: Ibadan, Oyo State

UI still appears on many online lists of the cheapest universities in Nigeria.

However, be careful with articles claiming that current UI fees are only ₦30,000 or ₦50,000.

The university's 2025/2026 registration guideline shows that students now pay several compulsory components, including:

• bundled or school fees
• technology levy
• utility levy

Students in some professional programmes also pay additional laboratory, health-professional or programme-specific levies.

New students also paid a ₦50,000 acceptance fee during the 2025/2026 admission exercise.

So while UI remains a government-funded university and can still be cheaper than many private alternatives, prospective students should check their specific faculty's current bill instead of relying on an old general figure.

8. Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE)

Location: Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State

FUOYE has grown rapidly and now offers programmes across a large number of faculties.

Its official 2025/2026 portal lists fresh-student sundry fees of about:

• Arts, Social Sciences, Management Sciences and Education: ₦190,000
• Science and Agriculture: ₦190,000
• Anatomy and Physiology: ₦240,000
• Engineering and Environmental Design: ₦240,000
• Medicine and Surgery: ₦390,000

There are also programme-specific charges.

FUOYE is therefore affordable for some courses but much more expensive for professional programmes.

That distinction should matter when choosing a school.

9. Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB)

Location: Abeokuta, Ogun State

FUNAAB remains a popular federal university for Agriculture, Science, Engineering and related programmes.

The published 2025/2026 schedule puts the general 100-level charge at around ₦205,000, with lower amounts for students at some higher levels.

Engineering and Veterinary Medicine can attract additional programme-specific charges.

The university's official admission portal confirms the 2025/2026 admission session, while students should use their individual portal invoice for the final amount payable.

Although its fees are higher than some schools in Northern Nigeria, Abeokuta may still offer a lower total cost of living than studying in Lagos.

10. Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike (AE-FUNAI)

Location: Ebonyi State

AE-FUNAI publishes one of the most detailed fee schedules.

For 2025/2026, its official schedule lists fresh Agriculture students at around ₦206,500 after combining university and listed third-party charges.

Engineering freshers can pay substantially more, with the university's published schedule showing around ₦281,500 once applicable charges are included.

Other professional faculties can also cost significantly more.

Again, this shows why a single figure for an entire university can be misleading.

Which Federal University Is the Cheapest in Nigeria?

There is no completely reliable single answer.

The cheapest school can change depending on:

• your course
• your level
• whether you are a fresher
• laboratory charges
• professional levies
• accommodation
• the academic session

FUDMA and UDUSOK appear among the lowest-cost options based on the latest publicly available schedules we found.

BUK is also particularly competitive on cost, especially for Arts, Social Sciences and Management programmes, with its official 2025/2026 schedule starting around ₦100,500 to ₦106,300 for several programmes.

Do Federal Universities Charge Tuition Fees?

This is where the wording can be confusing.

Some federal universities technically charge no tuition, but that does not mean attending the university is free.

UNILAG, for example, lists tuition as nil while charging students for registration, examinations, library services, ICT, medical services, accreditation, utilities and other services.

So when comparing universities, focus on:

total compulsory school charges

rather than only the word tuition.

Freshers Usually Pay More

New students often have additional charges such as:

• acceptance fee
• matriculation
• ID card
• result verification
• medical screening
• handbook
• registration
• certificate verification

Returning students may not pay some of these again.

That is why you should compare fresher fees with fresher fees, rather than comparing a returning student's fee at one university with a fresher's fee at another.

Medicine, Nursing and Engineering Usually Cost More

The difference can be large.

At BUK, for example, several Arts courses are around ₦106,300 for fresh students, while MBBS and Dentistry are ₦171,300.

At FUOYE, many Arts and Social Science freshers have ₦190,000 in sundry charges, while Medicine and Surgery is listed at ₦390,000.

So if you already know the course you want to study, it is better to search:

“Cheapest university for Nursing in Nigeria”

rather than simply:

“Cheapest university in Nigeria.”

School Fees Are Not Your Full University Cost

Suppose University A charges:

₦100,000

and University B charges:

₦140,000

University A is not automatically cheaper overall.

You still need to consider:

• hostel or rent
• feeding
• transportation
• data
• textbooks
• departmental charges
• practical materials
• laboratory costs
• travel home during holidays

A university in a city with lower living costs may save you much more than a ₦20,000 difference in school fees.

Which Affordable Federal University Should You Choose?

Do not choose a university based on fees alone.

Also check:

Does the university offer your course?

A cheap university is useless to you if it does not offer the programme you want.

Is the programme accredited?

Check the current accreditation status where relevant.

What is the admission competition?

UI, UNILAG, OAU, BUK and other popular federal universities can be highly competitive.

What will accommodation cost?

This can completely change your real budget.

How far is the university from home?

Transport expenses over four or five years matter too.

What opportunities are available?

Consider SIWES placements, internships, professional bodies, student organisations and career opportunities.

Can NELFUND Help With Federal University Fees?

Eligible students may also consider the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

Some federal universities actively direct students to NELFUND for assistance with institutional charges.

For example, OAU states that NELFUND can pay approved school charges directly to the university and also provides an optional upkeep component for eligible applicants.

Check the current NELFUND requirements before applying.

Conclusion

Federal universities remain one of the most affordable ways to obtain a university degree in Nigeria.

But the days when every federal university could simply be described as costing ₦20,000 or ₦30,000 per year are largely gone.

Current student charges can range from below ₦100,000 in some situations to several hundred thousand naira for professional programmes.

If affordability is your priority, schools such as FUDMA, UDUSOK, BUK and Federal University Dutse are worth investigating.

But don't stop at the headline school fee.

Compare:

school charges + accommodation + feeding + transport + your specific course

before deciding which university is genuinely cheapest for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest federal university in Nigeria?

There is no permanent official ranking because fees vary by course, level and session. FUDMA, UDUSOK and BUK are among the lower-cost federal universities based on recent published fee schedules.

How much do federal universities cost in Nigeria?

Depending on the university and programme, compulsory undergraduate charges can range from below ₦100,000 to more than ₦300,000 per session. Professional programmes usually cost more.

Are federal universities free in Nigeria?

No. Some universities charge no formal tuition, but students still pay compulsory registration, ICT, medical, examination, laboratory and other institutional charges.

Which federal university is cheapest for Computer Science?

The answer changes with each session. For example, BUK officially lists fresh Computer Science students at ₦111,300 for 2025/2026, making it one affordable option.

Which federal university is cheapest for Engineering?

BUK is worth considering. Its official 2025/2026 schedule lists several Engineering programmes at ₦112,300 for fresh students. Other universities should be compared using their current programme-specific schedules.

Which federal university is cheapest for Medicine?

Medical fees differ considerably. BUK lists MBBS at ₦171,300 for fresh students in 2025/2026, while some other federal universities charge more. Always check the latest medical-school charges separately.

Do freshers pay more than returning students?

Usually, yes. Fresh students often pay acceptance, matriculation, verification, ID card and other one-time charges.

Should I choose a university only because it is cheap?

No. Consider accreditation, course quality, admission chances, location, accommodation, living costs and opportunities as well.

Can federal university students apply for NELFUND?

Eligible students at federal universities can apply subject to the current NELFUND requirements.