FG to blacklist schools, publishers using unapproved textbooks

The Nigerian government has announced a plan to blacklist schools, publishers, and authors who use unapproved textbooks in public schools as part of a reform to improve the quality of education nationwide. The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, unveiled the National Textbook Ranking System, which will ensure only textbooks that have undergone nationally evaluated and approved processes are used in primary, junior secondary, and senior secondary schools from September 2026.

The National Textbook Ranking and Selection Committee, comprising representatives from education agencies and experts, will oversee the process. Each licensed textbook must undergo a rigorous national evaluation and ranking process, achieving a minimum score of 70% and satisfying academic, pedagogical, technical, and quality assurance standards before approval. Publishers and authors will need to pay reduced fees of N1,500 per page for assessment and N750,000 per title for ranking.

Under the new system, textbooks will remain valid for a minimum of three years, and only those evaluated, ranked, and approved by the National Textbook Ranking System will be authorized for use in public schools. Schools, publishers, and other stakeholders are expected to comply fully, with sanctions including blacklisting for using unapproved textbooks.