People & practiceEducationNigeria
Establish a private school
Get approval to run a private primary/secondary school: incorporate (with a TRCN-certified director) → apply to the State Ministry of Education → facilities inspection → academic inspection & approval certificate.
- Procedure
- 4steps
- Coordination
- 2agencies
- Category
- People & practiceEducation
Task links
Go to the exact next page
Application, requirements, forms, fees, and tracking are labelled separately.
Apply onlineRegister the school entity with CACCorporate Affairs Commission · icrp.cac.gov.ng↗RequirementsRead the Lagos school approval processLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — private-school approval is administered by each state.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗Form or guideOpen the Lagos school data-update formLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comUse only for a school in Lagos; otherwise use the equivalent state ministry.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗RequirementsCheck Lagos school verification requirementsLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — facilities and academic inspections are state-specific.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗
Routing map
Who you will deal with
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) / TRCNState Ministry of Education
Procedure
The steps, in order
Each route below is scoped to the step it can actually complete.
01 Incorporate the school (CAC)
- Agency
- Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) / TRCN
- What is required
- Register the school as a limited liability company; at least one director should hold a valid Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN) certificate.
- Documents
- Certificate of Incorporation; TRCN certificate
- Typical timeline
- See CAC procedure
02 Apply to the State Ministry of Education
- Agency
- State Ministry of Education
- What is required
- Make a formal application for approval to establish a private school in the state where it is located.
- Documents
- Application; company docs; premises details; proposed curriculum
- Typical timeline
- Application stage
Use for this stepRequirementsRead the Lagos school approval processLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — private-school approval is administered by each state.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗Form or guideOpen the Lagos school data-update formLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comUse only for a school in Lagos; otherwise use the equivalent state ministry.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗03 Facilities inspection
- Agency
- State Ministry of Education
- What is required
- Officials conduct a first inspection of the physical facilities — classrooms, administrative blocks, toilets, safety and infrastructure.
- Documents
- Ready premises
- Typical timeline
- Scheduled
Use for this stepRequirementsRead the Lagos school approval processLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — private-school approval is administered by each state.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗RequirementsCheck Lagos school verification requirementsLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — facilities and academic inspections are state-specific.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗04 Academic inspection and approval
- Agency
- State Ministry of Education
- What is required
- A second inspection covers curriculum, textbooks, staffing and academic standards; on compliance the Ministry issues an approval certificate. Renewal requires ongoing compliance inspections.
- Documents
- Curriculum; qualified staff; learning materials
- Typical timeline
- On compliance
Use for this stepRequirementsRead the Lagos school approval processLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — private-school approval is administered by each state.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗RequirementsCheck Lagos school verification requirementsLagos OEQA · oeqalagos.comLagos example — facilities and academic inspections are state-specific.⚠ this source returned an error when we last checked↗