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

State universities can be a good middle ground for Nigerian students.

They are usually more expensive than federal universities, but many are still far cheaper than private universities.

The problem is that many lists online still quote fees like ₦20,000 or ₦30,000 without explaining whether the amount is:

tuition only
for returning students
for indigenes
for an old academic session
excluding compulsory charges
for a particular faculty

That can give prospective students the wrong idea.

This guide compares some of the cheapest state universities in Nigeria using the latest fee information we could verify.

Quick Answer

Some of the cheapest state universities in Nigeria include:

Yobe State University
Kebbi State University of Science and Technology
Lagos State University
Taraba State University
Adekunle Ajasin University
Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi
Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University
Nasarawa State University
Gombe State University
Prince Abubakar Audu University

However, there is no official national ranking of the cheapest state universities.

Fees can change based on your course, level, state of origin and academic session.

Cheapest State Universities in Nigeria: A Quick Look

University	Approximate latest fee picture	Important note
Yobe State University	From about ₦39,250	Non-indigenes pay additional tuition
KSUSTA	About ₦34,000 for eligible local freshers, around ₦84,000 for others	Strong indigene difference
LASU	₦67,048.50 for regular Stream 1	Official current figure
Taraba State University	Roughly ₦25,000 to ₦115,750 depending on source/category	Verify on portal
AAUA	Roughly ₦70,000 to ₦150,000+ for many programmes	Faculty and status matter
MOAUM, formerly BSU	Some returning students around ₦57,000 to ₦67,000	Fresh students pay additional charges
IBBU Lapai	Roughly ₦86,000 to ₦250,000 for fresh students	Course dependent
NSUK	Varies by programme and student category	Confirm through portal
Gombe State University	Around ₦160,000 quoted for some fresh students	University says charges vary
PAAU	Roughly ₦70,550 to ₦350,050	Medicine and Nursing are higher

Important: Do not use this table as a payment invoice. Always confirm your exact fee on the university's official portal before paying.

1. Yobe State University

Location: Damaturu, Yobe State

Yobe State University is one of the strongest candidates for the cheapest state university in Nigeria.

For the 2025/2026 academic session, published undergraduate charges for fresh students include approximately:

Social Sciences, Arts and Education: ₦39,250
Science: ₦44,250
Law: ₦46,750
MBBS: ₦52,250

Returning students generally pay slightly less.

Non-indigenes pay additional tuition, with published figures showing approximately:

Science and Arts: ₦30,000 extra
Law: ₦35,000 extra
College of Medical Sciences: ₦45,000 extra

Accommodation was also listed at about ₦6,000.

This makes YSU particularly affordable for Yobe State indigenes.

2. Kebbi State University of Science and Technology, Aliero

Location: Aliero, Kebbi State

Kebbi State University of Science and Technology is another very affordable state-owned institution.

A published 2025/2026 schedule lists fresh-student charges at approximately:

Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara students: ₦34,000
Students from other states: ₦84,000

Returning students may pay between roughly ₦28,500 and ₦83,500 depending on course, level and state of origin.

Accommodation was separately listed at about ₦10,000.

One thing is immediately obvious here:

your state of origin can make a major difference.

A student from Kebbi may pay far less than someone coming from another part of Nigeria.

3. Lagos State University

Location: Ojo, Lagos State

LASU is frequently mentioned on lists of cheap Nigerian universities.

But be careful with websites still quoting ₦25,000 as LASU's current fee.

LASU's official screening portal currently states:

Regular programme without comprehensive entrepreneurship training: ₦67,048.50 per session
Regular programme with entrepreneurship training: ₦150,000 per session

That ₦67,048.50 figure comes directly from LASU's current screening system.

This makes LASU's regular Stream 1 programme relatively affordable.

However, Lagos itself can be expensive.

Accommodation, transportation and feeding may make your total annual cost considerably higher than studying at a university in a cheaper city.

4. Taraba State University

Location: Jalingo, Taraba State

Taraba State University regularly appears among Nigeria's cheapest state universities.

However, this is one of the universities where current online fee information is inconsistent.

Recent published estimates put fees around:

Indigenes: ₦25,000 to ₦60,000
Non-indigenes: ₦35,000 to ₦80,000

Another recent source gives approximately ₦115,750 for fresh students and a lower figure for returning students.

That difference is exactly why prospective students should not trust one number from a blog.

Taraba State University still appears to be relatively affordable, particularly for indigenes, but check the current invoice on the university portal before making your decision.

5. Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko

Location: Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State

AAUA is another state university frequently described as affordable.

Recent 2025/2026 estimates generally place many programmes somewhere between ₦70,000 and ₦150,000, although figures vary significantly by faculty, level and whether the student is an indigene.

For example, one published breakdown gives returning students approximately:

Education: from ₦70,000 for indigenes
Arts: around ₦80,000
Social Sciences: around ₦80,000
Science: around ₦100,000
Law: around ₦120,000

Non-indigenes pay more under that schedule.

AAUA's official website currently provides admission information, but we could not verify a complete current undergraduate fee table publicly displayed there.

So confirm your programme's exact amount before payment.

6. Rev. Fr. Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi

Location: Makurdi, Benue State

This university was formerly known as Benue State University.

Its current payment system shows that fees vary by programme and level.

For example, official 2025/2026 payment receipts available through the university portal show:

400-level Economics: ₦57,190
300-level Education student: ₦66,745

These are actual returning-student payments, not universal fresher fees.

Fresh students also have additional costs.

The university's admission instructions for the 2024/2025 admission cycle included a ₦25,000 acceptance fee, after which students paid faculty-specific user charges.

So while the university can be affordable for returning students, freshers should expect a higher first-year total.

7. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai

Location: Lapai, Niger State

IBBU is another state university worth considering if cost is important.

Recent 2025/2026 estimates put fresh-student fees at approximately ₦86,000 to ₦250,000, with returning students paying around ₦46,000 to ₦200,000, depending on programme.

The university operates an official online undergraduate registration and payment system, but it does not publicly display one simple universal undergraduate fee on its homepage.

So use any external estimate only for planning.

Your actual portal invoice is the amount that matters.

8. Nasarawa State University, Keffi

Location: Keffi, Nasarawa State

Nasarawa State University also appears frequently on affordable-state-university lists.

The amount students pay varies according to factors such as:

faculty
level
fresh or returning status
residency or indigene category

Current education sites publish 2025/2026 schedules, but the university's publicly accessible official pages do not provide one simple undergraduate fee that applies to everyone.

That means students should avoid claims such as:

“NSUK school fees are ₦35,000.”

That may only describe one student category.

If you are considering NSUK, check the current university portal for your department before deciding based on cost.

9. Gombe State University

Location: Gombe, Gombe State

Gombe State University is another relatively affordable state institution.

Some recent sources put fresh-student charges around ₦160,000, although that amount does not necessarily apply to every course.

Interestingly, GSU's own official FAQ avoids giving one fixed amount.

Instead, the university states that tuition depends on whether the student is fresh or returning and on the services approved by the University Senate.

That is an important reminder:

one university can have several valid fee amounts at the same time.

Check your individual category before paying.

10. Prince Abubakar Audu University

Location: Anyigba, Kogi State

Prince Abubakar Audu University is another option worth comparing.

Recent 2025/2026 fee information places charges roughly between ₦70,550 and ₦350,050, depending heavily on programme and residency status.

Medical and Nursing programmes are among the more expensive options.

The university's current official portal confirms that students pay their tuition through the university system, and its 2026/2027 undergraduate admission process is already active.

So prospective students should use the portal-generated amount rather than an old fee list.

Which State University Is the Cheapest in Nigeria?

Based on the latest figures we could find, Yobe State University and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology are among the cheapest state universities, particularly for indigenes.

LASU's regular Stream 1 programme is also relatively affordable at ₦67,048.50 per session based on the university's official current screening portal.

However, calling one university permanently the cheapest would be misleading.

Fees change.

Your course and state of origin can completely change the answer.

Why Do Indigenes Sometimes Pay Less?

State universities are funded partly by state governments.

Some states therefore subsidise students from the state more heavily.

For example, published KSUSTA figures show a fresh student from Kebbi, Sokoto or Zamfara paying around ₦34,000, while a fresh student from another state pays about ₦84,000.

Yobe State University also applies additional tuition charges to non-indigenes.

But this is not identical across every state university.

Always check the policy of the specific institution.

Freshers Usually Pay More

Your first year may include additional charges such as:

acceptance fee
medical screening
matriculation
ID card
result verification
registration
ICT charges
development levies

This is why you may hear a 300-level student say:

“My school fees are ₦60,000.”

while a newly admitted student in the same university pays more than ₦100,000.

Both figures can be correct.

Medicine, Nursing and Law Can Cost Much More

Do not use the cheapest Arts or Education fee to estimate the cost of studying Medicine.

Professional programmes can cost several times more.

For example, YSU's basic fresh-student charges for Arts and Education are around ₦39,250, while its Medical College has higher charges and additional non-indigene tuition.

At PAAU, the published range stretches as high as roughly ₦350,050 because some professional programmes cost significantly more.

So if you already know your course, compare universities for that course specifically.

State University vs Federal University: Which Is Cheaper?

Federal universities are generally cheaper.

They receive substantial funding from the Federal Government and often have lower institutional charges.

However, that does not mean every federal university is cheaper than every state university.

A heavily subsidised state university may cost less than some federal institutions.

If affordability is your main priority, also see:

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

School Fees Are Only Part of the Cost

Imagine two universities.

University A

School fees: ₦70,000
Accommodation and living expenses: ₦500,000

University B

School fees: ₦120,000
Accommodation and living expenses: ₦250,000

University B could actually be cheaper overall.

Before choosing a school, estimate:

tuition and institutional charges
hostel or rent
food
transport
data
textbooks
laboratory materials
departmental expenses
travel home

This matters particularly when comparing universities in expensive cities with schools in smaller towns.

How We Chose These Universities

This list considers:

the latest publicly available school fee information
official university sources where available
recent published fee schedules
indigene and non-indigene differences
fresh and returning student differences
whether the institution remains reasonably affordable compared with other state universities

We deliberately avoided treating old ₦20,000 or ₦30,000 figures as current simply because they still appear on Google.

University fees change frequently.

Always confirm the exact amount on the institution's official website or student portal before paying.

Conclusion

If you're looking for affordable state universities in Nigeria, Yobe State University, Kebbi State University of Science and Technology and Lagos State University are strong places to start.

But the cheapest university for one student may not be the cheapest for another.

A Kebbi indigene studying Education may have a completely different bill from a non-indigene studying Nursing.

So don't ask only:

“Which state university is cheapest?”

Also ask:

“How much will this university cost for my course, my state of origin and my level?”

That gives you a much more realistic answer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cheapest state university in Nigeria?

There is no permanent official ranking. Based on recent fee information, Yobe State University and Kebbi State University of Science and Technology are among the cheapest, particularly for indigenes.

How much is LASU school fees?

LASU's official current screening portal lists ₦67,048.50 per session for its regular programme without comprehensive entrepreneurship training. The entrepreneurship Stream 2 programme is ₦150,000.

Which state university is cheap for non-indigenes?

This changes by institution. LASU's current regular Stream 1 fee does not present the same large indigene/non-indigene difference seen at schools such as KSUSTA, making it worth considering.

Do state universities charge indigenes less?

Some do. KSUSTA and Yobe State University are examples where published fees differ according to residency or state-of-origin status.

Are state universities cheaper than federal universities?

Usually not. Federal universities are generally more subsidised, but some state universities can still be extremely affordable.

Are state universities cheaper than private universities?

In most cases, yes. Private university fees can run into several hundred thousand or millions of naira per session.

Do fresh students pay more?

Usually yes, because freshers often have acceptance, verification, medical, matriculation and other one-time charges.

Which state university is cheapest for Medicine?

You should compare medical-school fees separately because Medicine usually costs much more than ordinary undergraduate programmes. Do not use a university's cheapest Arts or Education fee to estimate its Medicine fees.

Can school fees change after admission?

Yes. Universities can revise their charges between academic sessions, which is why students should always check the latest official portal before making financial plans.