Local authors across Nigeria have condemned the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) over its controversial book assessment guidelines, particularly the requirement to pay a fee of N500 per page, including cover pages, for books submitted for approval for use in Nigerian schools.
The authors described the policy as “ridiculous, unpatriotic, and wicked,” warning that it has significantly stunted the nation’s writing culture and discouraged creativity among aspiring and established writers. Authors are also expected to submit the copies manually.
According to the NERDC’s official guidelines, every author or publisher is expected to submit four (4) copies of any educational book intended for schools, and make a payment of N500 per page for only one copy via the REMITA portal. The fee covers the assessment of the book for suitability in the school system. However, with most novels averaging 100 pages, this translates to a minimum of N50,000 for assessment of just one book, and a total of N200,000 for the mandatory four copies.
“The guidelines are a huge setback for Nigeria’s literary ecosystem,” said Mrs. Bimbo Ola, an Abuja-based children’s book author. “A new author trying to promote a 100-page novel for JSS students is expected to cough out N200,000 just to have the book considered for schools. That is outright discouragement and encourages corruption as only the highest bidder can have books approved”.
Another author, Lagos-based Emeka Onuoha, decried the NERDC’s position, saying, “The government talks about promoting local content, yet here is a policy that effectively shuts out young and low-income authors. This is a tax on creativity.”
The book assessment process, as outlined by NERDC, requires authors to:
1. Submit four (4) copies of the book.
2. Pay an assessment fee of N500 per page via the REMITA Portal.
3. Attach the payment evidence to the books, along with a covering letter to the Executive Secretary.
4. Wait for NERDC to assess the book and submit reports to both the Minister of Education and the author or publisher.
NERDC insists the fee is a “token,” but critics argue that with Nigeria’s harsh economic realities, it is anything but token. “The cost of printing alone is already burdensome,” said Mrs. Ola. “Adding this outrageous fee simply means only the wealthy can participate in educational publishing.”
Stakeholders in the publishing industry have called on the Federal Ministry of Education to review the guidelines and come up with a more inclusive and affordable policy that supports rather than stifles indigenous publishing and the dissemination of educational materials.
Efforts to get an official response from NERDC at the time of filing this report were unsuccessful.
