The Federal Ministry of Education has released the final list of ranked and approved textbooks for use in Nigerian schools for the 2026–2028 academic period.
The ministry made the announcement in a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade, following the completion of the first phase of the national textbook ranking exercise.
The first phase covers textbooks intended for Primary 1, Primary 4, Junior Secondary School 1 and Senior Secondary School 1.
According to the ministry, each textbook that has been approved under the exercise has been assigned a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code. The code is expected to make it easier for schools, education authorities and other stakeholders to identify, monitor and account for approved instructional materials.
“Each approved title carries a unique Ranking/QR Tracking Code, alongside key details including the title, author(s), publisher and year of publication, to facilitate identification, monitoring and accountability,” the ministry stated.
The exercise was conducted under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, and the Minister of State for Education, Dr Suwaiba Sa’id Ahmad. The final list was approved by Alausa.
The ministry said the introduction of the tracking system was designed to strengthen oversight of textbooks approved for use in schools and provide greater transparency throughout the process of selection, procurement and utilisation.
“The introduction of the Ranking/QR Tracking Code represents an important step towards strengthening the monitoring and control of approved instructional materials and ensuring greater transparency in their selection, procurement and utilisation,” the statement said.
The ministry also explained that the additional process of generating and assigning individual codes to the approved textbooks contributed to the time required to complete and validate the final list.
It said the process was necessary to ensure that the approved titles were properly identified and documented before the list was released for use by schools and other education stakeholders.
The Federal Ministry of Education said the national textbook ranking exercise would be conducted in phases rather than covering all class levels simultaneously.
Following the completion of the first phase, preparations will begin for the second phase, which will cover textbooks for Primary 2, Primary 5, Junior Secondary School 2 and Senior Secondary School 2.
The same tracking and identification system will be applied to textbooks approved under the second phase.
The ministry urged publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other stakeholders to rely on the officially approved list when selecting and procuring textbooks for the affected classes.
It warned, in effect, that stakeholders involved in the provision of instructional materials should ensure that the textbooks being supplied or purchased correspond with the titles approved under the national ranking exercise.
“The Federal Ministry of Education urges publishers, schools, education authorities, procurement agencies and other relevant stakeholders to consult the official approved list when selecting and procuring textbooks for the affected classes,” the statement said.
The ministry said the exercise formed part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to improve the quality of instructional materials available to teachers and learners across the country.
It explained that the objective was not only to ensure that textbooks meet required educational standards but also to promote greater accountability in the way instructional materials are selected, purchased and distributed.
The ministry said the exercise was aimed at ensuring that learners and teachers have access to instructional materials that are relevant to the curriculum and appropriate for their respective levels of education.
“The exercise forms part of the Federal Government’s commitment to ensuring that learners and teachers have access to quality, relevant and curriculum-aligned instructional materials, while strengthening transparency and accountability in textbook provision across Nigerian schools,” the statement said.
The ministry further encouraged education stakeholders to comply with the approved list in providing and using textbooks for the classes covered by the first phase.
The introduction of the Ranking/QR Tracking Code is expected to provide an additional mechanism for monitoring approved textbooks after they have been selected.
By linking each approved title to a unique code containing relevant information about the book, the system is intended to make it easier to distinguish approved materials from titles that have not gone through the national ranking process.
The move also comes amid broader efforts to strengthen accountability within Nigeria’s education sector, particularly in the procurement and distribution of learning materials.
Textbooks remain an important component of teaching and learning at the primary and secondary school levels. The availability of curriculum-aligned materials is particularly relevant to teachers and pupils who depend on approved resources to support classroom instruction.
The ministry said the complete list of textbooks approved and ranked for the 2026–2028 period, including the Ranking/QR Tracking Code assigned to each title, has been made available through its designated platform.
Stakeholders in the education sector are therefore expected to consult the official list before purchasing or supplying textbooks for Primary 1, Primary 4, JSS 1 and SS 1.
The ministry is expected to commence preparations for the second phase of the ranking exercise covering Primary 2, Primary 5, JSS 2 and SS 2.
The phased approach will allow the ministry to extend the ranking, approval and tracking system to additional class levels while continuing to strengthen the monitoring of instructional materials used in Nigerian schools.
