The Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) has urged the Federal Government to review its proposed book ranking policy, warning that it could distort competition among publishers, increase textbook prices and have unintended consequences for Nigeria’s education sector.

In a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Rotimi Iyiola, the association said the recent decision by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to reduce textbook assessment and ranking fees did not address the broader concerns raised by publishers.

The association acknowledged the Federal Ministry of Education’s clarification that the policy applies only to textbooks procured by the government for public schools, while private schools remain free to select their preferred learning materials.

However, the publishers argued that the debate extends beyond the cost of assessment.

“The objection has never been solely about the fees charged for textbook assessment and ranking. Rather, the concerns are rooted in the broader implications of the proposed Book Ranking Policy, the increased financial burden on publishers, the multiplier effect on the price of books to parents and the adverse impact such a policy will have on the Nigerian education sector.”

The NPA called on the ministry to reconsider the use of the term “ranking”, proposing instead that all textbooks that satisfy the prescribed assessment standards should qualify equally for consideration during government procurement.

According to the association, this would preserve fair competition by preventing any publisher from gaining an undue commercial advantage through a government-issued ranking.

It also urged the authorities to strengthen the existing textbook quality assurance process rather than introduce what it described as an additional layer of assessment.

While welcoming the reduction in assessment fees, the publishers maintained that the revised charges remain significantly higher than previous rates.

According to the association, the assessment fee was increased from ₦500 per page to ₦2,000 per page before being reduced to ₦1,500 per page. It argued that although the latest reduction offers some relief, the current fee still represents a substantial increase over the previous rate and could ultimately be passed on to consumers through higher textbook prices.

The association called for a further review of the fees, saying such a move would support the government’s objective of making quality educational materials more affordable and accessible to Nigerian students.

The NPA reaffirmed its commitment to continued engagement with the Federal Ministry of Education, NERDC and other stakeholders to develop policies that promote quality education, encourage innovation, safeguard fair competition and improve access to affordable textbooks.