The Federal Ministry of Education shared this update in a statement, explaining that the move aims to strengthen national identity, unity, and patriotism among citizens.
For the first time in decades, Nigerian pupils will study History continuously from Primary 1 to JSS3, while SSS1–3 students will take Civic and Heritage Studies, which integrates 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 Minister of Education and the Minister of State for Education thanked the President for supporting the reform, stating that History is not just a record of the past but a foundation for shaping responsible and patriotic citizens. They described the reform as a priceless gift to the nation, reconnecting children with their roots while fostering pride, unity, and commitment to national development.
The Ministry has released the revised curriculum and plans to retrain teachers, provide resources, and strengthen monitoring.
History was removed from the basic education curriculum in 2009, with the justification that students were avoiding the subject due to limited job prospects for graduates and a shortage of teachers. In 2022, efforts began to reintroduce it, including teacher training, but it remained optional in the few schools offering it.
This reform marks a full return of History as a core subject across all levels of basic education.