The Federal Government has announced that only textbooks approved under a new National Textbook Ranking System (NTRS) will be permitted for use in public primary, junior and senior secondary schools nationwide from the 2026/2027 academic session.
Education Minister, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the policy, which takes effect in September 2026, is aimed at improving learning outcomes by ensuring that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials are deployed in classrooms across the country.
The reform, approved by the Federal Government, introduces what the minister described as a transparent, merit-based national framework for evaluating, ranking and approving textbooks, replacing the existing system in which licensing by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) was sufficient for classroom use.
A statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, and posted on its verified X handle, quoted Alausa as saying that the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and seeks to eliminate substandard textbooks while restoring confidence in Nigeria’s education system.
Under the new regime, only textbooks that have obtained NERDC licensing will proceed to a second stage of national assessment and ranking. To qualify for approval, each title must score at least 70 per cent and satisfy prescribed academic, pedagogical, technical and quality assurance standards.
The minister disclosed that a National Textbook Ranking and Selection Committee, comprising representatives of key education agencies and subject experts, has been constituted to undertake the evaluation process in collaboration with NERDC before recommendations are forwarded for ministerial approval.
According to him, only the highest-ranked textbooks will be approved for use, with each subject limited to between six and 10 titles, depending on curriculum requirements.
Alausa also announced a reduction in the cost of textbook assessment and ranking to ease the burden on publishers and authors. Assessment fees have been cut from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page, while ranking fees have been reduced from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title. Publishers who had earlier paid the old rates will receive refunds of the excess payments.
He said approved textbooks would remain valid for a minimum of three years to provide stability and consistency in curriculum implementation.
The minister warned that from September 2026, schools must use only textbooks approved under the National Textbook Ranking System, stressing that the use of unapproved materials would attract sanctions, including the blacklisting of erring authors, publishers and schools.
He added that the implementation of the policy would be monitored by NERDC and other relevant regulatory agencies.
The Federal Government maintained that the initiative would guarantee Nigerian learners access to quality instructional materials, strengthen curriculum delivery and improve educational standards across the country’s public school system.
