Breaking: FG Unveils 82 New Indigenous Textbooks to strengthen Higher Education

In a major move to slash Nigeria’s reliance on expensive foreign academic materials, the Federal Government has officially presented 82 new textbooks authored by Nigerian scholars.

The Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, unveiled the collection on Wednesday, marking a milestone in the TETFund Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project. This initiative is specifically designed to tackle the chronic shortage of locally produced academic resources and ease the pressure on foreign exchange. For decades, Nigerian tertiary institutions have heavily relied on international publications. Dr. Alausa emphasized that this trend not only drains foreign reserves but also stifles indigenous authorship. “This initiative underscores the Federal Government’s commitment to quality education and the promotion of academic excellence. We must ensure the availability of relevant learning materials, particularly in science, technology, and engineering, which are critical to our national development.” Dr. Tunji Alausa, Minister of Education. The Minister also challenged authors to look beyond the Nigerian market, suggesting that these works be liberalized to reach a global audience. The Numbers: 400,000 Books Headed to Campuses

The Executive Secretary of TETFund, Sonny Echono, revealed the scale of the distribution plan. While 82 titles were presented on Wednesday, the project’s total reach is even broader:

• 72 newly authored titles under the TETFund project.

• 10 additional titles secured from reputable scholars.

• 202 total titles published by TETFund to date.

• 400,000+ copies currently being distributed to beneficiary institutions nationwide.

TETFund has also overhauled how it rewards scholars. Moving away from the old system of giving authors 1,000 physical copies of their own work, the fund has introduced:

1. Monetary Honoraria: Based on content depth and page count.

2. Complimentary Copies: 20 copies provided to each author for personal use.

Aminu Masari, Chairman of the TETFund Board of Trustees, added that strategies are being developed to commercialize these books. This ensures that authors and their families receive tangible financial benefits from their intellectual labor.

The event began with a moment of silence for Valerie Young Harry, a contributing author who passed away shortly before the public presentation. Her work was celebrated as a “lasting legacy” that will continue to educate generations of Nigerians.