The cost of getting textbooks assessed and ranked in Nigeria has been reduced, a move expected to provide some relief for publishers and authors ahead of the introduction of a new system aimed at improving the quality of learning materials used by students.
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) announced that it had reviewed downward the fees for textbook assessment and ranking under the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System.
In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, the council said the assessment fee has 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 revised charges take immediate effect, according to the council, with publishers who had already paid the previous higher assessment fee expected to receive refunds for the difference.
“Publishers who had already paid the previous assessment fee of N2,000 per page will receive refunds of the excess payment, while the procedure for processing the refunds will be announced soon,” the statement said.
NERDC also directed publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment to make payments based on the new rates.
The fee adjustment comes as the Federal Government prepares to begin the implementation of the National Textbook Ranking System from September 2026.
Under the new policy, textbooks used in Nigerian schools must first be assessed, approved and ranked by NERDC before they can be recommended for classroom use.
The reform is aimed at addressing concerns over the quality of some instructional materials available to students and ensuring that learners and teachers have access to textbooks that meet national education standards.
Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, had earlier explained that textbook approval alone would no longer be enough, as approved books would also undergo a detailed evaluation and ranking process by experts before being used in schools.
The National Textbook Ranking System is part of wider education reforms focused on improving learning outcomes, strengthening quality assurance and reducing learning gaps among Nigerian children.
As schools depend heavily on textbooks to support teaching and learning, stakeholders hope the new system will help create better educational resources while making the publishing process more transparent and effective.
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