Military-affiliated command day school in Ikeja Cantonment. Nigerian curriculum. Very affordable, disciplined environment, strong WAEC outcomes. Serves military families primarily but accepts civilian pupils too.
Fee breakdown
Tuition range
₦100.0K–300.0K
/yr · 2025/2026
Estimated first-year total
₦300.0K
tuition + extras
L
Lagos.Cool Editorial
2 May 2026 · 2 min read
About this school — Command Day Secondary School Ikeja
Command Day Secondary School Ikeja is one of the Nigerian Army-run schools open to both military and civilian pupils. Ikeja Cantonment location. Nigerian curriculum. Very affordable fees consistent with military-affiliated school schedules. Disciplined environment with military-style structure. Strong WAEC outcomes for the fee tier.
Command Day operates under the Nigerian Army Education Corps as one of a national network of military-affiliated day secondary schools serving military and civilian families. Founded 1970 during the immediate post-war period, the Ikeja Cantonment site was chosen for its proximity to the 81 Division headquarters and the wider Ikeja military housing complex. The school's culture reflects its origins: uniform strictly enforced, punctuality mandatory, morning parade for pupils and staff, and academic discipline reinforced by military-standard structure. WAEC pass rates (80-90% credit-pass) reflect the disciplined environment rather than large teaching investments — the fee structure is deliberately kept low to serve military-family budgets, and the same fee schedule applies to civilian pupils accepted subject to space. The school is popular with civilian families seeking structured schooling in the Ikeja catchment.
✗Application fee minimal but priority to military families
✗No IGCSE
✗No boarding
Facilities & campus
●Ikeja Cantonment campus
●Academic blocks
●Science laboratories
●Assembly hall
●Chapel/mosque
●Sports facilities
●Library
Curriculum & exam pathway
Accreditations
• WAEC
• Federal Ministry of Education Nigeria
University destinations
UNILAGLASUNigerian State universitiesCovenantBabcockNigerian Defence Academy pathway
Admission process
Entrance examination and interview. Application fee minimal. Military family priority. Civilian pupils accepted based on academic merit and space.
Entrance examination held twice yearly (April and October) covering English, Mathematics, and General Knowledge at end-of-primary level. Application fee minimal (₦3,000-₦5,000 for documentation). Military family priority is significant — first-tier priority to children of serving officers, second-tier to non-commissioned officer children, third-tier to civilian applicants subject to space. The civilian intake is typically 30-40% of any Year 7 cohort. SS1 transfer entry available for pupils moving from other command schools nationwide or from Lagos State secondaries with satisfactory JS3 results. Interview with the Commandant or delegated senior officer for all shortlisted candidates; the interview format includes standard academic questions plus assessment of discipline and comportment.
Tuition is only part of the bill. Here's what families actually pay:
Uniform₦15,000–₦30,000
Books + WAEC entries₦20,000–₦70,000/yr
Lunch₦40,000–₦90,000/yr
PTA levy₦5,000–₦15,000/yr
Campus & facilities
Ikeja Cantonment campus with academic blocks, science laboratories, an assembly hall, sports facilities, and a chapel/mosque for religious observance. Military-standard facilities: functional, disciplined, well-maintained. Day-only.
The Ikeja Cantonment campus sits within the wider Ikeja military housing and administrative complex. Facilities are functional military-standard: three academic blocks in cantonment design (concrete construction, ceramic tile floors, ceiling fans), science laboratories (integrated science, chemistry, biology, physics), an assembly hall used for weekly parade and academic assemblies, a chapel and a mosque for religious observance (chapel Sunday services, Friday Juma'ah), a sports field, a basketball court, a small library, and a computer room. Power is from the cantonment grid with military-standard generator backup for essential facilities. Water from cantonment borehole system. Day-only. The cantonment security perimeter makes the school one of the safer day-school environments in Ikeja.
Priority to military families but civilian pupils are accepted based on academic merit and space availability. Roughly 60-70% military, 30-40% civilian typical.
Military-standard — uniforms strictly enforced, punctuality mandatory, respect protocols observed. This is a draw for many families seeking structured schooling.
80-90% credit-pass typical. Structured environment and disciplined preparation produce strong outcomes for the fee tier.
Yes — the cantonment security perimeter makes it among the safer day-school environments in Ikeja. Traffic and pickup logistics through the cantonment gates need to be planned.
Very — fees run ₦40K-₦110K/term vs ₦300K+ at mid-market privates and ₦1M+ at internationals. Command Day is one of the most affordable structured schools in Ikeja.