The Federal Government has announced a 25 per cent reduction in textbook assessment fees as preparations intensify for the nationwide rollout of the National Textbook Ranking System scheduled for September 2026.
The decision, unveiled by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), is aimed at reducing financial pressure on publishers and authors while encouraging wider participation in the country’s new textbook evaluation framework. According to a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, the revised pricing takes immediate effect.
Under the new structure, the textbook assessment fees have been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has dropped from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title. The Council directed publishers and authors seeking textbook assessment and national ranking to begin making payments based on the new rates immediately.
NERDC also disclosed that publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee would receive refunds for the excess amount. According to the Council, details of the refund process will be communicated to affected stakeholders in due course.
“The revised fees take immediate effect, and all stakeholders in the book industry are expected to comply accordingly,” the statement said.
The fee reduction comes ahead of the implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System, one of the flagship education reforms introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, to improve the quality of instructional materials used in Nigerian schools. Beginning in September 2026, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and nationally ranked by NERDC will be eligible for classroom use across the country.
Books that fail to obtain a national ranking under the new system will no longer receive approval for use in schools. Education authorities said the initiative is intended to eliminate substandard and duplicated learning materials while ensuring that students and teachers have access to textbooks that meet national curriculum standards.
NERDC explained that although it will continue performing its statutory responsibility of approving textbooks, approval alone will no longer be sufficient under the new policy. Instead, every approved publication will undergo a comprehensive national evaluation conducted by expert panels.
The assessment will examine key criteria including content quality, curriculum alignment, pedagogical value, factual accuracy and overall suitability before assigning a national ranking. According to the Council, the ranking system will provide schools, teachers, parents and education administrators with a trusted guide when selecting textbooks for different subjects and educational levels.
NERDC added that lowering the assessment and ranking fees is part of broader efforts to ensure a smooth transition to the new quality assurance framework while encouraging greater participation from publishers and authors across the Nigerian book industry.
