If you are a Lagos State indigene currently studying in any tertiary institution in Nigeria, the Lagos State Scholarship Board is one of the most important government agencies you should know about. The board exists for one reason: to make sure that no student of Lagos State origin is unable to pursue higher education simply because of a lack of money. Whether you are an undergraduate in your first year or a postgraduate student working toward your Master’s or PhD, there is a financial aid option available for you through the LSSB.
This guide is going to walk you through everything you need to know about the Lagos State Scholarship Board, including its history, how it is structured, the different types of awards it offers, who qualifies, what documents you need, how much you can receive, and how to complete your application step by step. By the time you finish reading, you will have a clear and practical understanding of what this scholarship involves and exactly what to do next.
What Is the Lagos State Scholarship Board?
The Lagos State Scholarship Board, commonly referred to as LSSB, is a government agency of the Lagos State Government established in February 1968, shortly after the creation of Lagos State following the Nigerian Civil War era restructuring. It operates under the Office of the Special Adviser on Education and was created with a clear mandate: to provide educational financial assistance to deserving students for the development of Lagos State.
The board started operating from a rented apartment at No. 75 Brickfield Road, Ebute-Metta, Lagos. It later relocated to a government building in Maryland in 1992, and then again to its current location at 254 Ipaja Road, beside the NYSC Orientation Camp in Agege, where it has been based since February 27, 1995. The law establishing the board was reviewed and formally assented to by then Lagos State Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, on September 27, 2012, giving it a firmer legal foundation.
The board’s vision is to become a leading organization in the provision of financial aid to students in Lagos State. Its mission is to encourage educational growth through prompt provision of financial assistance that supports self-reliance and the socioeconomic development of the state.
One of the key milestones in the board’s history came in 2001, when the Local Scholarship Award scheme was restored after a period of suspension. The restoration was specifically intended to ensure that no Lagos State indigene studying at any tertiary institution would be deprived of the chance to complete their education simply because funds were unavailable.
How Is the Lagos State Scholarship Board Structured?
The LSSB is organized into nine departments that collectively handle all functions related to scholarships, bursaries, and related educational matters in the state. These departments cover areas including administration, finance, scholarship processing, and procurement, among others.
All categories of awards, whether bursary or Local Scholarship Awards, are given based on the recommendations of panel members appointed from the five administrative divisions of Lagos State. These five divisions are Ikeja, Badagry, Ikorodu, Lagos Island, and Epe, collectively known by the acronym IBILE. This divisional structure ensures that scholarship and bursary benefits are distributed fairly across the entire state and that no geographical area is disadvantaged in the allocation of awards.
The board also plays a liaison role between the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government on scholarship-related matters. This includes coordinating various scholarship awards offered by the Federal Government to Lagos State citizens, such as Commonwealth Scholarships and Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) scholarships. So the LSSB is not just about local awards; it is a central coordination point for scholarship matters at both state and federal levels for eligible Lagos indigenes.
Types of Awards Offered by the Lagos State Scholarship Board
The LSSB offers two main categories of financial awards to eligible students. Understanding the difference between them is important because they have different eligibility requirements and are processed differently.
1. Bursary Award
The bursary is the more accessible of the two awards. It is offered on compassionate grounds, meaning it is not based on competing against other students. Any student who is a bonafide Lagos State indigene and is enrolled in a government-approved tertiary institution in Nigeria is eligible to apply for the bursary, as long as they meet the basic documentation requirements.
The bursary does not require you to sit for any competitive examination, and it is not based on your CGPA in the way the merit scholarship is. It is a financial grant designed to help Lagos State students cope with the general cost of tertiary education. The amount of the bursary award is typically lower than the scholarship award, but it is available to a much broader pool of students.
It is important to note that subsequent payments of the bursary are made on the presentation of a progress report showing that the student has moved to the next stage of their program. This means you cannot collect the award and simply stop attending school. The board wants to see that you are genuinely progressing through your studies.
2. Local Scholarship Award
The Local Scholarship Award is a merit-based financial grant given to students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement. Unlike the bursary, this award is competitive. To be eligible, undergraduate students must have a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.5 on a 5.0 scale, or the equivalent on a 7.0 scale used by some institutions like the University of Ibadan, where the minimum required would be 4.6 out of 7.0. For institutions using a 4.0 scale, such as polytechnics, the minimum is 3.0 out of 4.0.
For postgraduate students applying for the Local Scholarship, the minimum academic requirement is a Second Class Upper degree, commonly referred to as a 2.1, in their undergraduate studies. PhD applicants must have a Master’s degree certificate as part of their documentation, and those with an HND background must provide proof of successful completion of their postgraduate diploma as well.
Students who apply for the merit-based scholarship must sit for a computer-based test administered by the Lagos State Scholarship Board. This qualifying exam typically covers English language, Mathematics, and general knowledge. Your performance in this test, combined with your academic records, determines whether you are selected for the scholarship award.
If you take the qualifying test and do not perform well enough to qualify for the scholarship, you are not necessarily out of luck. You may still be eligible for the bursary award if you are a Lagos State indigene enrolled in a recognized institution. The bursary and scholarship are two separate tracks, and failing the scholarship test does not automatically disqualify you from the bursary.
Who Is Eligible for Lagos State Scholarship Board Awards?
The eligibility requirements for LSSB awards are fairly clear, but there are some nuances that many applicants miss. Here is a complete breakdown of what you need to qualify.
For the Bursary Award
You must be a bonafide indigene of Lagos State by paternity. This means your father must be of Lagos State origin, and you must be able to prove this through documentation such as a certificate of origin from your local government area. Simply being a resident of Lagos State, or having lived in Lagos for many years, is not sufficient on its own. Your paternal lineage to Lagos State must be demonstrable.
You must be enrolled as a full-time student in a government-approved tertiary institution in Nigeria. Part-time students are generally not covered by this award. You must be currently admitted to the institution for the academic session in question and must be in your first year or above.
You must have completed your Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) registration, and you must have a letter of identification signed by your local government area and, in some cases, your traditional ruler (Oba).
For the Local Scholarship Award
All the conditions for the bursary apply, plus the academic achievement requirements described above. Specifically, undergraduate applicants must have a minimum CGPA of 3.5 on a 5.0 scale, and postgraduate applicants must have at minimum a Second Class Upper degree from their previous studies. You must also be prepared to sit for and pass the computer-based qualifying test conducted by the board.
The board also considers evidence of good character when making its selections. Students with disciplinary records or who have been suspended from their institutions may not be recommended for awards by the divisional panel members.
Required Documents for the Lagos State Scholarship Board Application
Gathering your documents before you start the online application will save you a lot of time and frustration. Here is the complete list of what you need to have ready.
A recent passport photograph with a clear white or light background, taken within the last three months, is required. The image should be sized at 450 by 450 pixels and should not exceed 200 kilobytes in file size when scanned.
Your letter of current admission from your institution is required. This confirms that you are enrolled in the program for the academic year in question. Your student identity card from your institution is also needed, along with your birth certificate, which helps confirm your identity and age.
Academic certificates obtained so far, including your WAEC or NECO result, are required. For undergraduate applicants, your JAMB result slip must also be provided. For postgraduate applicants, your undergraduate degree certificate or result statement clearly showing your graduating results is needed. PhD applicants must also include their Master’s degree certificate.
Your Lagos State Residents Registration Agency (LASRRA) identification card is a key document. If you do not yet have your LASRRA card, you will need to complete that registration before you can finalize your scholarship application.
A signed letter of identification from your respective Oba (traditional ruler) and another from your local government area chairman or secretary are typically required. These documents serve to confirm your indigeneship and your community ties within Lagos State.
You will also need a photocopy of your payment receipt for the application form, a downloaded and completed application form, and evidence of your Consolidated Payment Confirmation slip. For NYSC members or postgraduate students who have completed the national service, an NYSC Discharge or Exemption Certificate is required.
Any additional supporting documents that help establish the genuineness of your claims should also be prepared and uploaded.
Lagos State Scholarship Board Award Amounts
One of the most common questions prospective applicants ask is how much money they will actually receive from the LSSB. The board has fixed rates for each category of award, and it is important to understand that these rates apply to both the scholarship and the bursary, though at different levels.
The Lagos State Scholarship Board award amounts are structured by program level and institution type. The scholarship award is generally higher than the bursary award because it is merit-based and more competitive. The bursary, being awarded on compassionate grounds to a broader pool of students, typically carries a lower financial value.
Exact figures for each award category are published on the official LSSB website and are updated periodically. In 2024, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu released over N290 million for bursary and scholarship payments, with bursary payments made to 3,000 Lagos State indigenes studying in various tertiary institutions across Nigeria. This gives you a sense of the scale of the program and the commitment of the state government to funding it.
The board only makes payments for tuition and study-related expenses. Awards are not intended to cover accommodation, feeding, or personal expenses. Subsequent payments after the first award are made on presentation of a progress report showing academic advancement from one level or year to the next.
How to Apply for Lagos State Scholarship Board Awards Step by Step
The application process is conducted online through the official LSSB portal. Here is the step-by-step process to guide you through it.
The first step is to visit the official Lagos State Scholarship Board portal and check that applications are currently open. The board publishes an official announcement each year when the application window opens and closes. For the 2025-2026 academic year, application forms went on sale from January 19, 2026, and closed at midnight on March 6, 2026. Always check the portal directly to get the current dates, as these change each year.
The second step is to purchase the application form. The form is not free. Payment is made at the Revenue Office of the Lagos State Scholarship Board. The form fee for Local Scholarship is N2,000. For some categories, the fee may differ slightly, and you should confirm the exact amount at the time of application. After payment, you will receive a payment confirmation receipt and a voucher PIN that you will need during the online registration process.
The third step is to access the registration portal. Click on “continue registration” on the portal and fill in all your required personal details to start the application. A pop-up will display a generated PIN at a certain stage, which you should write down and keep safely for future reference.
The fourth step is to select your award type. The portal will show you the option to apply for either the Scholarship or the Bursary. Choose the one you are applying for and enter the PIN that was generated earlier. Make sure you are applying under the correct category, because the eligibility requirements differ.
The fifth step is to complete the application form carefully. Fill in your personal details, academic information, institution name, course of study, year of study, and contact information. Make sure everything is accurate because the board uses these details to verify your claims during the selection process.
The sixth step is to upload all required documents in the correct format. Scan your documents clearly before uploading. Blurry or unreadable scans will cause delays or disqualification. Double-check that you have uploaded every item on the required documents list.
The seventh step is to submit your application and print out a copy of your application slip for your own records. Keep this slip safe because you may need it for reference during the test and interview stages.
The eighth step, which applies specifically to scholarship applicants, is to wait for an invitation to the computer-based test. Shortlisted applicants are invited to take the CBT exam, which covers English, Mathematics, and general knowledge. Results of the test are combined with your academic records to determine scholarship eligibility.
After the test, successful candidates are notified by email or SMS. The list of successful beneficiaries may also be published on the board’s official website. If you are selected, you will receive further guidance on the next steps for processing your award.
Lagos State Scholarship Board and Federal Government Scholarships
Beyond the locally funded awards, the Lagos State Scholarship Board also plays a coordination role for several Federal Government scholarship programs available to Lagos State indigenes. This includes Commonwealth Scholarship awards and scholarships under the Bilateral Education Agreement (BEA) that Nigeria has signed with various countries.
The BEA scholarships are fully funded opportunities for Nigerian students to study abroad in countries with which Nigeria has bilateral education agreements. The LSSB liaises with the Federal Government and helps coordinate the nomination and processing of eligible Lagos State students for these foreign scholarships. If you are a Lagos State indigene interested in studying abroad on a government-funded scholarship, checking with the LSSB about BEA opportunities is a smart starting point.
Commonwealth Scholarships, which are administered through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in partnership with the Nigerian government, are also in the LSSB’s coordination scope. These scholarships are highly competitive and typically target postgraduate students, but knowing that the LSSB is involved in coordinating them for Lagos State beneficiaries means you have a local point of contact for enquiries.
Important Rules and Conditions to Know
Before applying, there are several important conditions that every applicant must understand to avoid issues during or after the application process.
