The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has slashed the fees charged for textbook assessment and ranking, with immediate effect. Publishers who previously paid the higher assessment fee of N2,000 per page will receive refunds for the excess amount, according to a statement by NERDC Executive Secretary Prof. Salisu Shehu.
Prof. Shehu announced that the assessment fee drops from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee falls from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title. The reductions take immediate effect, and publishers submitting textbooks for assessment are required to use the revised figures from now on. The Council said the procedure for processing refunds for those who overpaid will be communicated at a later date.
New National Textbook Ranking System
The fee adjustment comes as the Federal Government prepares to launch the National Textbook Ranking System, a reform introduced by Education Minister Dr. Tunji Alausa to raise the standard of learning materials in Nigerian schools. Starting from September 2026, only textbooks that have passed through NERDC's assessment, approval, and ranking process will be allowed in classrooms. Books that have not been ranked will no longer be permitted for school use.
When the policy was first unveiled, Alausa said it was designed to address the widespread problem of substandard textbooks in circulation. The minister noted that while NERDC had always been responsible for approving textbooks, that approval on its own would no longer be enough. Going forward, every approved title must also pass through evaluation by expert committees before it can be recommended for classroom use.
Broader Education Reforms
The National Textbook Ranking System is part of a broader set of education reforms under the Federal Ministry of Education's Renewed Hope Agenda. Other initiatives under the same programme include nationwide learning assessments, the revival of e-libraries in Unity Colleges, expanded digital learning infrastructure, and measures targeting learning poverty, which the government says affects around 42 million Nigerian children.
Officials said the ranking policy is expected to strengthen quality control in educational publishing and ensure that only high-quality, curriculum-compliant materials reach students and teachers across the country. NERDC urged publishers, authors, and other stakeholders across the book industry to align with the updated fee structure without delay.
