Nigeria has a rich history of education with many of its schools dating back to pre-independence days. These institutions have contributed immensely to the growth and development of Nigeria, producing some of the country’s most notable and successful individuals. In this article, we highlight 108 of the oldest secondary schools in Nigeria.
The list is dominated by schools in Lagos, with CMS Grammar School, Bariga Lagos, established in 1859, topping the list. Other schools in Lagos include Methodist Boys High School, Victoria Island Lagos (1878), Methodist Girls High School, Yaba Lagos (1879), Baptist Academy, Obanikoro Lagos (1885), and the prestigious Saint Gregory’s College, Ikoyi Lagos (1882).
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Outside Lagos, we have some equally old and prestigious institutions like the Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar (1895), St. Anne’s School, (Old Kudeti Girls’ School) Ibadan (1896), Oron Boy’s High School, (Old Oron Training Institute) Oron (1897), and Wesley College of Science (old Wesley College), Elekuro, Ibadan (1905).
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The list also includes some popular girls-only schools such as Queens College, Yaba Lagos (1927), St. Theresa College, Oke-Ado, Ibadan (1932), and Our Ladies of Apostle Secondary School, Yaba Lagos (1950).
Religious bodies also feature prominently on the list, with schools such as Christ the King College, Onitsha, Anambra (1933) and Baptist Boys High School, Oke-Saje, Abeokuta (1923), which was founded by the American Baptist Mission.
The list reflects the diversity of Nigeria’s educational heritage, with schools founded by individuals, social groups, missions, and the government. These institutions played a critical role in shaping Nigeria into what it is today.