Nigeria's deepening cost-of-living crisis is forcing families to rethink how they choose schools for their children. A fresh report from SBM Intelligence reveals what many parents already know: affordability now matters more than prestige.
Researchers surveyed residents across eight states plus the Federal Capital Territory. They discovered something striking about school quality perceptions.
Kano, Abuja, and Rivers emerged as the leaders in offering schools families could realistically afford. Lagos, despite its reputation as Nigeria's education powerhouse, ranked poorly on this crucial metric.
The difference is clear. Many quality schools in Lagos sit far beyond what average households can pay for.
Inflation has ravaged family budgets across the country. Housing costs have soared.
Transport expenses drain wallets. Parents now face impossible choices.
Gift Osikoya teaches in one of Nigeria's classrooms. She watched this crisis unfold firsthand.
"Many parents today are struggling to survive financially, so affordability has become their major concern when choosing schools," she told reporters.
Osikoya notes that parents aren't rejecting quality out of preference. They're doing mathematics.
"In many cases, parents are not intentionally rejecting quality education; they are simply trying to balance quality with what they can afford," she explained.
But this balancing act carries a hidden cost. "Trading quality for affordability will affect children negatively, especially when schools lack qualified teachers, learning materials, good facilities, and proper supervision," according to her.
Schools themselves struggle too. Operating costs have jumped sharply.
Owners respond by raising fees, squeezing families even further.
Mercy Nnokam runs a school in Port Harcourt. She sees families buckle under the pressure daily.
"So many parents can't afford textbooks and exercise books. They opt for the relevant ones and ask their children to use a note for two subjects," she said.
Some institutions demand customized notebooks. Parents buy them because they have no choice.
Nnokam added: "Hence, many parents would prefer cheaper school even with less quality just to have their children in school."
SBM Intelligence launched its research titled "Where Nigerian Families Actually Thrive" across nine locations. The study examined eight quality-of-life measures affecting households.
School quality topped the list. But researchers also tracked childcare access, healthcare, safety, electricity, and affordability.
Numbers tell the story starkly. Kano scored 3.61 on school quality.
Abuja reached 3.55, while Rivers hit 3.53.
Lagos, however, managed only 2.92. That's below the midpoint.
Respondents in Kano, Abuja, and Rivers consistently described their available schools as "good" or "excellent." They felt these options were within reach.
Lagos presents a different picture entirely. The state hosts many prestigious institutions.
Yet most ordinary families cannot access them.
Quality exists in Lagos. Access doesn't.
For Nigerian households battling persistent inflation, the calculation has shifted dramatically. Decent education now depends less on whether elite schools exist nearby.
It depends on whether families can actually afford to send their children there.
