Publishers to pay lower assessment and ranking fees as Federal Government tightens quality control on learning materials through NERDC-led evaluation framework
By Amarachi Odenigbo
ABUJA, Nigeria — July 22, 2026
The Federal Government has approved a significant reduction in the fees charged for the assessment and ranking of textbooks, a move aimed at easing financial pressure on publishers and authors ahead of the nationwide implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System scheduled to commence in September 2026.
The policy, announced by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), comes as the government intensifies efforts to standardise instructional materials in Nigerian schools and eliminate the widespread use of substandard, outdated and non-curriculum-compliant textbooks.
Beginning in September, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be eligible for use in classrooms across the country, marking one of the most comprehensive reforms of Nigeria’s textbook approval system in decades.
Government Reduces Assessment and Ranking Fees
In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, the Council disclosed that the Federal Government approved a downward review of the fees payable by publishers and authors.
Under the revised schedule:
- Textbook assessment fees have been reduced from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page.
- National textbook ranking fees have been cut from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title.
The revised rates take immediate effect for all publishers seeking assessment of their educational materials.
NERDC said the decision was intended to reduce the financial burden associated with textbook evaluation while encouraging wider participation in the new quality assurance programme.
Publishers to Receive Refunds
The Council also announced that publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee of ₦2,000 per page would receive refunds representing the difference between the old and newly approved charges.
According to NERDC, detailed guidelines on the refund process will be released in due course.
The Council urged publishers, authors and other stakeholders within Nigeria’s educational publishing industry to comply fully with the revised payment structure.
September Deadline for New National Textbook Ranking System
The fee reduction comes just weeks before the official rollout of the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System, an education reform initiative introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa.
The programme is designed to improve the quality, consistency and relevance of learning materials used in primary and secondary schools nationwide.
Under the new framework, textbooks will no longer qualify for classroom use solely because they have received regulatory approval.
Instead, they must successfully pass a national assessment and ranking process conducted by expert panels constituted by NERDC.
Only books that meet the required standards and receive official ranking will be authorised for classroom instruction.
Government Targets Quality and Curriculum Compliance
Education authorities say the initiative responds to the increasing number of textbooks available in Nigerian schools, many of which differ significantly in quality, content accuracy and curriculum alignment.
According to the Minister of Education, the reform seeks to ensure that teachers and learners have access only to instructional materials that satisfy nationally approved academic standards.
While NERDC will continue performing its statutory responsibility of evaluating and approving textbooks, approval alone will no longer guarantee classroom adoption.
The additional ranking exercise is intended to distinguish the highest-quality textbooks within each subject and educational level.
How the New Ranking System Will Work
Under the policy, textbooks approved by NERDC will undergo a structured national evaluation process.
Expert committees comprising education specialists and subject professionals will assess eligible books using established academic and pedagogical criteria.
The evaluation is expected to consider factors including:
- Curriculum compliance;
- Accuracy of subject content;
- Quality of presentation;
- Language and readability;
- Teaching effectiveness;
- Overall suitability for learners.
The highest-performing titles in each category will receive official ranking for classroom use.
Investigative Perspective: Why the Reform Matters
For years, education stakeholders have expressed concern over the proliferation of textbooks with varying standards across Nigerian schools.
Teachers have frequently reported inconsistencies between textbooks covering the same curriculum, while parents have complained about frequent changes in recommended learning materials.
Education experts argue that the absence of a transparent national ranking mechanism has sometimes allowed inferior textbooks to compete with higher-quality publications.
The introduction of a structured ranking system represents an attempt to improve accountability within educational publishing while strengthening confidence in classroom resources.
However, some industry stakeholders may continue to monitor whether the assessment fees—despite the reduction—remain affordable for smaller publishing firms and independent authors.
Implications for Publishers and Schools
The reform is expected to reshape Nigeria’s educational publishing industry by encouraging publishers to invest more heavily in quality assurance and curriculum compliance.
Schools will also be required to review their recommended textbook lists to ensure compliance with the new policy before implementation begins in September.
Failure to use approved and ranked textbooks could expose schools to regulatory sanctions under the new framework.
The Federal Government’s decision to reduce textbook assessment and ranking fees signals an effort to balance stricter quality control with support for Nigeria’s publishing industry.
As the September 2026 implementation date approaches, publishers, schools and education stakeholders face a transition that could redefine how instructional materials are selected and used across the country’s classrooms.
If effectively implemented, the National Textbook Ranking System has the potential to improve learning outcomes by ensuring that every Nigerian student studies with textbooks that meet uniform national standards for quality, accuracy and curriculum relevance.
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