Avi-Cenna International School is an IB World School in Ikoyi, offering the full IB Continuum (PYP, MYP, and DP) from Early Years through Year 13. Founded in 2003 and named after the Persian polymath Ibn Sina (Avicenna), the school explicitly positions itself as a science-and-inquiry-focused institution. The student roll is approximately 600 with a strong international representation (~30% non-Nigerian). Fees range from ₦4.5M to ₦6M annually.
Fee breakdown
Tuition range
₦4.5M–6.0M
/yr · 2025/2026
Estimated first-year total
₦6.0M
tuition + extras
Sibling discount: 10% off second child; 12% off third and subsequent.
Fees by year group
2025/2026 session — quoted per pupil per year.
Year group
Tuition
Weekly boarding
Full boarding
KG
₦4,500,000
Day only
Day only
Primary
₦5,200,000
Day only
Day only
JSS
₦5,700,000
Day only
Day only
SSS
₦6,000,000
Day only
Day only
L
Lagos.Cool Editorial
2 May 2026 · 2 min read
About this school — Avi-Cenna International School
Avi-Cenna belongs to a small group of Lagos schools that have committed to IB as their primary identity rather than as one option among several. The choice has shaped the school's culture: classroom inquiry, project-based assessment, and a smaller but more academically driven cohort than the larger Lagos schools. The Ikoyi catchment means the school competes with BIS for the same parent demographic, and Avi-Cenna's IB-pure approach is its main differentiator.
Avi-Cenna was founded 2003 as one of the earliest Lagos schools to commit fully to the IB Continuum. The name honours Ibn Sina (Latinised as Avicenna), the Persian polymath, philosopher, physician, and astronomer active around 1000 CE — a naming choice that signals the school's inquiry-based, science-and-philosophy-integrating academic culture. Twenty-plus years on, Avi-Cenna has built a specific niche in the Lagos international-schools market: IB PYP + MYP + DP full-continuum at a smaller cohort scale than Greensprings, with an IB Diploma cohort capped at 50 for personalised college counselling. The school's Ikoyi location serves the Ikoyi/VI professional family catchment. IB Diploma average scores of 34-36 (world average 30) place Avi-Cenna competitive with international IB schools. Alumni move into Oxbridge, top US universities, McGill, University of Toronto, and Imperial College London.
✓Small IB Diploma cohort capped at 50 for personalised attention
✓Recent IB Diploma average 34-36 (world 30)
✓Ikoyi location convenient for Ikoyi/VI families
✓Named after Persian polymath Ibn Sina — inquiry-based ethos
✓Multi-cultural cohort (~30% non-Nigerian)
✗ Trade-offs
✗No boarding — day-only
✗Small cohort limits IB Diploma subject range
✗No swimming pool (15m used for PE)
✗No football pitch on-site
✗Compact 3-acre campus
Facilities & campus
●3-acre Ikoyi campus
●25 classrooms with subject-specialist rooms senior years
●3 science laboratories
●Music suite
●Art studio with cross-age project space
●200-seat hall
●15m pool for PE
●Multi-court
●IB Diploma study area
Curriculum & exam pathway
Accreditations
• International Baccalaureate Organisation (full continuum)
• Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria
University destinations
OxfordImperialUCLLSEManchesterMcGillTorontoUBCIvy Plus programme (US)Nigerian private universities
Admission process
Avi-Cenna admits via a multi-stage assessment process. Reception entry is play-based with parent interview. Year 1 and above sit a written assessment in English, Mathematics, and an inquiry-based reasoning task. Year 12 entry to the IB Diploma requires predicted IGCSE/JS3 grades of B or better in six subjects plus a subject-specific interview. Sibling priority operates. Application fee is ₦65,000 non-refundable. The IB Diploma cohort is intentionally capped at 50 to maintain teaching quality.
Avi-Cenna admits via a multi-stage assessment process. Reception entry is play-based with parent interview. Year 1 and above sit a written assessment in English, Mathematics, and an inquiry-based reasoning task. Year 12 entry to the IB Diploma requires predicted IGCSE/JS3 grades of B or better in six subjects plus a subject-specific interview. Sibling priority operates. Application fee is ₦65,000 non-refundable. The IB Diploma cohort is intentionally capped at 50 to maintain teaching quality. Interview with the Head of Admissions plus a school-visit day for parents.
Extracurriculars
Football (off-site)BasketballMusic ensembleDramaModel UNDebateIB CAS community serviceArt clubChess
The 3-acre Ikoyi campus is a converted residential compound expanded with purpose-built additions. Facilities include 25 classrooms with subject-specialist rooms for senior years, three science labs, a music suite, an art studio with PYP-MYP cross-age project space, a 200-seat hall, a small swimming pool (15m, used for primary swimming lessons), an outdoor multi-court, and a dedicated IB Diploma study area. The school does not maintain a football pitch on-site.
The 3-acre Ikoyi campus is a converted residential compound expanded with purpose-built additions. Facilities include 25 classrooms with subject-specialist rooms for senior years, three science labs, a music suite, an art studio with PYP-MYP cross-age project space, a 200-seat hall, a small swimming pool (15m, used for primary swimming lessons), an outdoor multi-court, and a dedicated IB Diploma study area. The school does not maintain a football pitch on-site — partnership with an Ikoyi sports facility for competitive football. Power on Eko Electric grid + 80KVA generator + inverter backup. Water from LSWC pipe + onsite borehole. Day-only.
Both are IB Continuum schools, but Avi-Cenna is significantly smaller (600 vs 1,800 students) and the IB Diploma cohort is capped at 50 (vs ~150 at Greensprings). Avi-Cenna parents typically prefer the smaller cohort for personalised attention; Greensprings parents prefer the larger scale and broader subject availability.
No — Avi-Cenna is day-only. Boarders seeking IB in Lagos typically go to Greensprings (Lekki senior campus) or Day Waterman (which offers IGCSE/A-Level, not IB). For IB boarding specifically, families sometimes look at international schools in Ghana or South Africa.
Recent three-year rolling average is 34–36 (out of 45), comparable to Greensprings and competitive with international IB schools. The top decile typically scores 38+ which is Oxbridge/Ivy-eligible.
French is the primary modern foreign language from PYP onwards. Spanish, German, and Mandarin are offered as MYP language acquisition options. The IB Diploma supports Language A self-taught literature in Arabic, Spanish, French, and Russian by special arrangement.
Reception classes are capped at 18, primary at 20, secondary at 22, and IB Diploma classes range from 6 to 14 depending on subject. The intentional small school roll means the school does not run parallel classes at most year levels — there is one Year 4, one Year 7, and so on.