Samuel Omang
The Federal Government has officially reintroduced Nigerian History as a compulsory subject in the basic education curriculum, marking a decisive policy shift aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship.
In a statement released by the Federal Ministry of Education on Wednesday via its official X account, the government confirmed that for the first time in decades, pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 through Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3). For senior secondary students (SSS1–3), a new subject titled Civic and Heritage Studies will be taught, integrating History with Civic Education.
According to the new structure, pupils in Primary 1–6 will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance. In JSS1–3, the focus will expand to civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values. The Ministry described this reform as a “priceless gift to the nation,” designed to reconnect children with their roots while inspiring pride, unity, and commitment to national development.
To ensure effective implementation, the government has released the revised curriculum and announced plans to retrain teachers, provide teaching resources, and strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems across schools.
This marks the culmination of years of debate about the role of History in Nigerian schools. The subject was removed in 2009 under the New Basic Education Curriculum introduced in 2007, with officials at the time citing a lack of student interest, limited career opportunities for History graduates, and a shortage of qualified teachers. The decision drew sharp criticism from scholars and stakeholders, who warned that the absence of History teaching could erode young people’s sense of national identity.
In 2017, the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council announced plans to reintroduce the subject beginning from the 2018/2019 academic session. This was followed in 2022 by the launch of a large-scale teacher training programme to prepare educators for its reintroduction.
With this latest reform, the Federal Government has now institutionalised History within the national curriculum, placing it alongside other core subjects as central to the intellectual and civic development of Nigerian children. Education observers see the move as both symbolic and practical—an effort to reconnect the present generation to the country’s past and equip them with the knowledge needed to navigate its future.