FG Reduces Textbook Assessment, Ranking Fees Ahead Of New Approval Policy

The Federal Government has reduced the fees charged for the assessment and ranking of textbooks, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on publishers and authors ahead of the rollout of the National Textbook by Ranking System.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) announced the revised charges in a statement issued on Wednesday by its Executive Secretary, Salisu Shehu.

Under the new pricing structure, the cost of textbook assessment has been reduced from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page, while the fee for ranking textbooks has been lowered from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title.

According to the Council, the revised fees take immediate effect and apply to all publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment.

NERDC also disclosed that publishers who had already paid the former assessment fee of ₦2,000 per page would be refunded the excess amount. It added that details of the refund process would be communicated in due course.

The Council urged stakeholders in the publishing industry to comply with the new directive.

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The fee reduction comes ahead of the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System, introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, to improve the quality of instructional materials used in schools across the country.

Beginning in September 2026, only textbooks that have been assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC will be authorised for use in Nigerian classrooms, while unranked books will no longer be permitted.

The government said the initiative is intended to curb the proliferation of substandard textbooks and ensure that learners and teachers have access to curriculum-compliant, high-quality educational materials.

Although NERDC will continue its statutory role of approving textbooks, the new policy makes it mandatory for approved titles to undergo an additional national evaluation and ranking process by expert committees before they can be recommended for classroom use.