Nigerian publishers sue to halt textbook ranking policy

The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) has taken legal action, filing a suit at the Federal High Court in Ibadan to halt the implementation of a new textbook ranking policy by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC).

The core of the dispute lies in the NPA's challenge to NERDC's authority to subject textbooks that have already undergone and passed the approval process to a new, compulsory ranking exercise. The association argues that this additional step is unnecessary and burdensome for publishers.

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The major issue before the court is whether NERDC has the legal power to compel publishers to submit textbooks that have already been assessed, approved and certified to another ranking exercise before they can continue to be used, distributed, procured or sold.

According to the NPA, the lawsuit, marked FHC/IB/CS/117/26, names the President of NERDC, the Minister of Education, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as defendants. The publishers are contesting the requirement for already approved textbooks to be ranked again before they can continue to be used, distributed, procured, or sold. They are also challenging the compulsory ranking fee imposed by NERDC.

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whether regulations introduced under the NERDC Act can take effect without the required presidential approval and publication in the Federal Gazette.

A significant point of contention is whether regulations introduced under the NERDC Act can be enforced without the necessary presidential approval and official publication in the Federal Gazette. The NPA seeks clarity from the court on NERDC's statutory authority to impose such conditions on textbooks that have already met initial approval standards.

The association has expressed concern that publishers who do not comply with the new ranking exercise risk having their previously approved textbooks excluded from classroom use. The NERDC introduced the framework to regulate textbook quality and ensure alignment with the national curriculum, but the policy has generated significant pushback from the publishing industry over financial implications and procedural legitimacy.

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publishers who fail to participate in the ranking exercise risk having previously approved textbooks excluded from classroom use.