The federal government has unveiled a national ranking system for textbooks used in primary, junior, and senior secondary schools, aiming to eliminate substandard materials and ensure uniform quality across the country. Announced by the Federal Ministry of Education on April 26, 2026, the policy tasks the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) with approving textbooks and subjecting them to a structured ranking process based on rigorous academic and pedagogical standards.
Key Features of the New Policy
From September 2026, only a limited number of top-ranked textbooks will be permitted for classroom use. Any unranked titles, regardless of prior approval, will be barred from schools. Education Minister Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa and Minister of State Prof. Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad stated that the initiative addresses long-standing concerns over inconsistent quality and arbitrary book selections by schools.
Expert Evaluation Committees
Standing subject committees of experts will evaluate textbooks for curriculum compliance and teaching effectiveness. This builds on reforms launched in January 2026, when the government inaugurated a high-level Book Ranking and Selection Committee chaired by Prof. Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, with NERDC as secretariat. That committee was tasked with developing quality benchmarks, introducing transparent ranking, separating durable textbooks from consumable workbooks, promoting pricing transparency, and ensuring new editions demonstrate genuine improvements.
Capped Number of Ranked Books
Under the framework, the number of officially ranked textbooks per subject is expected to be capped, with indications of around seven per subject in some guidelines. This aims to reduce confusion for teachers, parents, and pupils while delivering better value for money. Ranked books will remain in use for a minimum of three years to ease the financial burden on families.
The government warned that textbooks not ranked will not be used. “Under the policy, any textbook not ranked will not be permitted for use, regardless of prior licensing status. Implementation will commence from September 2026 following stakeholder engagement and completion of the evaluation framework,” the ministry said.
Parents and educators have frequently complained about frequent and costly book changes that offer little added educational value. NERDC will now lead further stakeholder engagements to finalize the evaluation framework ahead of the September 2026 implementation. The government reaffirmed its commitment to improving learning outcomes through access to high-quality, standardized educational resources.
