JUST IN: FG REDUCES TEXTBOOK ASSESSMENT FEES, ORDERS REFUNDS FOR PUBLISHERS
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By; Sunmola Ganiyat
The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) has reduced the cost of textbook assessment and ranking and directed that publishers who paid the previous, higher assessment fees be refunded.
The move is aimed at easing the financial burden on publishers and other stakeholders ahead of the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Textbook Ranking System.
The decision was announced in a statement signed by the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Salisu Shehu, and released on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to the statement, the textbook assessment fee has been reduced from N2,000 to N1,500 per page, while the ranking fee has been reviewed downward from N1 million to N750,000 per textbook title.
Prof. Shehu said the revised charges take immediate effect and are intended to support publishers and authors participating in the new textbook evaluation process.
He also disclosed that publishers who had already paid the former assessment fee of N2,000 per page would receive refunds of the excess amount.
“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 directed publishers and authors submitting textbooks for assessment to begin making payments using the new rates with immediate effect and urged all stakeholders in the publishing industry to comply with the revised fee structure.
The fee reduction comes as the Federal Government prepares to roll out the National Textbook Ranking System, a major education reform introduced by the Minister of Education, Dr. 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 ranked by NERDC will be permitted for classroom use, while unranked textbooks will no longer be approved for use in schools.
According to the Minister, the policy is designed to eliminate substandard textbooks and ensure that learners and teachers have access only to high-quality, curriculum-compliant instructional materials.
He explained that although NERDC would continue its statutory responsibility of approving textbooks, approval alone would no longer be sufficient, as every approved textbook would undergo a rigorous national evaluation and ranking before being recommended for use in schools.
The National Textbook Ranking System is one of the Federal Ministry of Education’s key reforms under the Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at strengthening quality assurance, promoting excellence in educational publishing, and improving learning outcomes across Nigeria’s basic and secondary education system.
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