Sixteen years after it was scrapped from the curriculum, the Federal Government has announced the return of Nigerian History as a compulsory subject for pupils from primary to senior secondary school.
The Federal Ministry of Education confirmed the development in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.
According to the ministry, the decision is part of a broader plan to strengthen national identity, foster unity, and instill patriotism among young Nigerians.
“For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take the new Civic and Heritage Studies, integrating History with Civic Education.
“Primary 1–6: Pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.
“JSS1–3: Students will study civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values,” the statement read.
The Ministry said the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Alausa, CON, together with the Honourable Minister of State for Education, Professor Suwaiba Sai’d Ahmad, expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for championing the reform.
“They emphasised that History is not merely a record of the past, but a vital foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens.”
According to the Ministers, the reform is a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.
The Ministry has released the revised curriculum and will retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.
The former President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua-led government in 2009 removed history from Nigeria’s basic education curriculum.
Then, it was justified that students were avoiding it with the claim that there were few jobs for history graduates, and that there was dearth of history teachers.
In 2022, the Ministry of Education under former Minister Adamu Adamu inaugurated the reintroduction of the subject.
The Ministry also trained history teachers at the basic education level in Abuja.
However, history has always remained optional in the few schools that offer it
