The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Alausa, has unveiled 50 textbooks authored by Nigerian academics to bridge the gap in high-quality academic resources in Nigerian universities and colleges.
Alausa unveiled the textbooks at a public presentation ceremony at the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFund, headquarters in Abuja, on Tuesday.
The book publication initiative, which is sponsored by TETFund under its Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project, marks a significant step towards reducing the country’s reliance on foreign academic materials in universities and colleges.
Speaking at the public presentation of the books, the minister decried Nigeria’s heavy reliance on foreign textbooks, saying the situation was worsening the demand for foreign exchange and putting local academic publishing in a dire state.
He stressed the urgent need to foster indigenous authorship, ensuring the availability of relevant educational materials while strengthening national identity.
“The scarcity of quality tertiary-level textbooks in Nigeria has reached a critical level, both in quantity and content.
“This initiative by TETFund is a strategic response to that crisis, ensuring that teaching and research in our institutions are backed by relevant, homegrown instructional materials,” he said.
While reaffirming the Tinubu administration’s commitment to education as a driver of national development, Alausa noted that TETFund is intensifying efforts to enhance content development and capacity building in public tertiary institutions.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc. Sonny Echono, said the shortage of quality academic books prompted the establishment of the Higher Education Book Development Project.
Echono disclosed that over 130 manuscripts have undergone rigorous review and published, with an additional 50 manuscripts now completed and ready for public use.
“Following the reconstitution of the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in 2024, 97 manuscripts were reviewed, out of which 50 have been published.Another 60 titles are scheduled for unveiling by the end of 2025,” Echono said.
He added that in a bid to ensure value for money, authors will now receive financial compensation based on the number of pages in their books instead of the previous system of receiving 1,000 copies.
On his part, the TAG Chairman, Prof Albert Abegunde, emphasized the broader impact of the books, noting that they promote literacy, preserve cultural heritage, support technological advancement, encourage entrepreneurship, and foster research and innovation.
Abegunde detailed the subject distribution, which includes titles on medicine, law, engineering, agriculture, economics, education, and security studies.
Meanwhile, Chairman of TETFund’s Board of Trustees, Alhaji Aminu Bello Masari, reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s prioritization of education. He praised TETFund’s commitment to transparency and adherence to government regulations in fulfilling its mandate.
With more manuscripts under review and additional books set for release, this initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s tertiary education sector through locally-produced academic resources.
