The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, has announced the Federal Government’s approval of the National Textbook Ranking System (NTRS), a landmark reform designed to raise the quality of education by ensuring that only rigorously evaluated, nationally ranked and approved textbooks are used in public primary, junior secondary and senior secondary schools across Nigeria from September 2026.
Boriowo Folasade, the Ministry’s Director for Press and Public Relations who made this known in a press release, said Dr. Alausa described the initiative as a transformative policy that will revolutionise the selection and deployment of instructional materials in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He said the new system establishes, for the first time, a transparent, merit based and quality driven national framework that aligns Nigeria’s textbook approval process with international best practices while guaranteeing every learner access to credible, curriculum aligned and high quality learning resources.
The Minister stated that the National Textbook Ranking System will strengthen curriculum implementation, improve learning outcomes, promote equity in access to quality instructional materials, eliminate the proliferation of substandard textbooks and restore public confidence in the nation’s education system.
According to Dr. Alausa, the Ministry has constituted a National Textbook Ranking and Selection Committee comprising representatives of relevant education agencies and qualified experts. Working closely with the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC), the Committee will assess only textbooks that have successfully met NERDC licensing requirements before recommending the highest ranked titles for the approval of the Honourable Minister of Education.
The Minister explained that, under the new policy, NERDC licensing alone will no longer qualify a textbook for classroom use. Every licensed textbook must undergo a rigorous national evaluation and ranking process, attain a minimum score of 70 per cent and satisfy prescribed academic, pedagogical, technical and quality assurance standards before it can be approved.
He added that only the best performing textbooks will be adopted, with approved titles for each subject limited to between six and ten, depending on curriculum requirements.
Dr. Alausa further announced that, in a major relief for publishers and authors, NERDC has approved a reduction in assessment and ranking fees. The assessment fee has been reduced from ₦2,000 to ₦1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been reviewed downward from ₦1 million to ₦750,000 per title. Publishers who previously paid the former rates will receive refunds of the excess payments, with reimbursement arrangements to be communicated by the Council.
The Minister stated that beginning in September 2026, only textbooks evaluated, ranked and approved under the National Textbook Ranking System will be authorised for use in public schools nationwide. Approved textbooks will remain valid for a minimum period of three years to ensure stability and consistency in curriculum delivery.
The implementation of the policy will be closely monitored through NERDC and other relevant regulatory agencies. Schools, publishers and other stakeholders are expected to comply fully, while the use of unapproved textbooks will attract sanctions, including the blacklisting of defaulting authors, publishers and schools.
The Ministry reaffirmed the Federal Government’s unwavering commitment to providing every Nigerian learner with world class instructional materials that promote excellence in teaching and learning, improve educational outcomes and strengthen the nation’s education system.
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