The Federal Government has launched 50 new academic textbooks authored by Nigerian scholars as part of efforts to tackle the severe shortage of high-quality educational materials in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The initiative, sponsored by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) under the Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project, aims to: Reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign academic resources, promote indigenous authorship, provide relevant educational materials tailored to Nigeria’s local needs
Speaking at the unveiling in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, lamented the country’s overreliance on foreign textbooks, which has placed a significant strain on Nigeria’s foreign exchange.
“The scarcity of tertiary-level texts in Nigeria has reached crisis proportions. The quality and quantity of locally produced books are inadequate. This project is a deliberate effort to change that reality,” he said.
He emphasized that investing in locally authored textbooks would not only boost education quality but also safeguard national pride and strengthen research and innovation.
TETFund’s Vision for Indigenous Educational Materials
TETFund’s Executive Secretary, Sonny Echono, highlighted the project’s goal of increasing the availability of high-quality tertiary-level textbooks in Nigeria.
“This crisis prompted the establishment of the TETFund Higher Education Book Development Project. The Board of Trustees took a crucial step in 2009 by setting up the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to oversee the development of indigenous academic books,” Echono explained.
He disclosed that:130+ manuscripts have undergone rigorous peer review and been published as textbooks, 97 more manuscripts have been reviewed and recommended for publication, 50 new books have now been published and unveiled, 60 additional books will be launched before the end of 2025.
Echono also announced a shift in the author compensation model: instead of receiving 1,000 copies of their books, authors will now be paid based on the number of pages in their published works.
The books span a wide range of academic disciplines, including Medicine & Pharmacy 5 books, Art, Culture & Literature 11 books, Law 2 books, Technology & Engineering 6 books, Mathematics & Statistics 5 books, Agriculture & Environment 7 books, Economics & Management 5 books, Entrepreneurship & Vocational Studies 1 book, Education & General Literacy 7 books, Security Studies 1 book
The Chairman of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG), Prof. Albert Abegunde, reaffirmed that the books aim to: Promote literacy, Preserve Nigerian culture, expand technological advancements, Encourage entrepreneurship, foster research and innovation
