The Federal Government has unveiled 82 academic textbooks authored by Nigerian scholars to strengthen teaching and learning in tertiary institutions.
Speaking during the public presentation of the books in Abuja on Wednesday, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, informed that they were developed under the Higher Education Book Development Intervention Project of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund).
Alausa said the Fund also secured an additional 10 academic textbooks for distribution to tertiary institutions across the country.
He noted that the initiative underscored the Federal Government’s commitment to quality education and the promotion of academic excellence in Nigeria’s higher education system.
According to him, the intervention aims to address the shortage of locally authored textbooks and reduce the country’s dependence on foreign publications.
Alausa said Nigerian tertiary institutions had increasingly relied on foreign textbooks, putting pressure on foreign exchange and discouraging indigenous authorship.
He said encouraging Nigerian scholars to produce quality academic textbooks would ensure the availability of relevant learning materials across diverse disciplines.
The Minister said the initiative would particularly support fields such as science, technology, and engineering that were critical to national development.
Alausa explained that the TETFund Book Development Intervention focused on the publication of academic textbooks, support for professional association journals, and the establishment of academic publishing centres.
He said the Board of Trustees of TETFund established a Technical Advisory Group in 2009 to develop a framework for implementing the book development programme in tertiary institutions.
Alausa noted that the federal government continued to support academic research journals and publishing centres to ensure adequate indigenous learning materials in universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education.
He commended the authors, publishers, and stakeholders involved in the project for their contributions to strengthening Nigeria’s academic reputation globally.
The minister also acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu for reforms aimed at improving the education sector.
According to him, the administration is committed to ensuring stable academic calendars in tertiary institutions across the country.
Alausa expressed hope that the textbooks would help bridge the gap in indigenous academic publishing and improve access to relevant learning materials in tertiary institutions.
He also urged academic unions to continue dialogue with the government to resolve outstanding issues in the sector.
The minister challenged TETFund to explore ways of expanding access to the books beyond tertiary institutions to promote wider knowledge sharing.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of TETFund, Arc Sonny Echono, said the book initiative was designed to address the persistent shortage of quality tertiary-level textbooks in Nigeria and strengthen teaching, learning, and research in higher institutions.
According to him, 72 of the titles were newly authored under the TETFund project, while 10 others were written by reputable scholars and secured for use by beneficiary institutions.
He disclosed that the Fund has so far published 202 academic textbooks, with several others currently undergoing evaluation.
Echono also revealed that over 400,000 copies of the books would be distributed to institutions nationwide, while digital versions would be made available online to enhance accessibility.
Earlier in the gathering, he led participants to observe a minute’s silence in honour of one of the authors, Valerie Young Harry, who passed away shortly before the event.
On his part, the Chairman, Board of Trustees at TETFund, Aminu Bello Masari, described the late author’s work as a lasting legacy, noting that knowledge passed from generation to generation ensures a person’s impact outlives their lifetime.
Masari also stressed the importance of applying knowledge practically and called for strategies to commercialise the books so authors and their families can benefit from their intellectual contributions.
