Breaking: Federal Govt Reduces Textbook Assessment Fees
- NERDC reduced the cost of textbook assessment and ranking fees in a move tied to the Federal Government's new National Textbook Ranking System
- Publishers who already paid the old assessment fee of N2,000 per page are set to receive refunds of the excess amount
- The fee changes take immediate effect, with the procedure for processing refunds to be announced soon by the Council
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering basic and tertiary education in Nigeria and worldwide
FCT, Abuja - The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has cut the fees charged for textbook assessment and ranking, and directed that publishers who paid the older, higher rates be reimbursed for the difference.
The NERDC Executive Secretary, Prof. Salisu Shehu, said under the new rates, the assessment fee drops from N2,000 to N1,500 per page.
Source: Facebook
Shehu added that the ranking fee falls from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title.
As reported by The Punch, Shehu made this known in a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday, July 22, 2026.
Both reductions take immediate effect, and publishers submitting textbooks for assessment are required to use the revised figures from now on.
Refunds for publishers who overpaid
According to Vanguard, Prof. Shehu confirmed that any publisher who had already paid the old assessment fee of N2,000 per page would get a refund for the excess amount.
The Council said the process for handling those refunds would be communicated at a later date.
NERDC urged publishers, authors and other stakeholders across the book industry to align with the updated fee structure without delay.
What national textbook ranking system requires
The fee adjustment comes as the Federal Government gets ready to launch the National Textbook Ranking System.
The Education Minister, Dr Tunji Alausa, introduced the reform 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.
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.
Source: Twitter
FG takes action to regulate textbooks for schools
Recall that the federal government introduced a National Textbook Ranking System to improve quality and standardise learning materials in schools across Nigeria.
Alausa and the Minister of State, Prof Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, confirmed that NERDC retained approval powers but introduced a ranking process for textbooks.
The implementation of the new textbook policy was scheduled to begin in September 2026 after stakeholder consultations were concluded.
FG to improve textbook quality, affordability
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reports that the Federal Government launched a committee to improve textbook quality and affordability in Nigerian schools.
Alausa emphasised the need for proper validation and ranking of educational materials.
The new reforms aim to protect parents and learners from exploitative textbook pricing practices.
Source: Legit.ng
