The Nigerian government has confirmed the reintroduction of History as a compulsory subject in Nigerian primary and secondary schools, decades after it was removed from the basic education curriculum.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Federal Ministry of Education said the move was aimed at strengthening national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship.
“The Federal Government has reintroduced Nigerian History as a compulsory subject in the basic education curriculum to strengthen national identity, unity, patriotism, and responsible citizenship,” the ministry said.
According to the new policy, pupils will now study History continuously from Primary 1 through Junior Secondary School 3 (JSS3), while Senior Secondary School students (SS1–SS3) will take a newly designed subject called Civic and Heritage Studies, which integrates History with Civic Education.
The breakdown of the curriculum shows that Primary 1–6 pupils will learn about Nigeria’s origins, heroes, rulers, culture, politics, economy, religions, colonial rule, and post-independence governance.
Also, JSS1–3 students will focus on civilisations, empires, trade, European contacts, amalgamation, independence, democracy, and civic values.
According to the statement, the Ministers of Education described the reform as a priceless gift to the nation, saying it would reconnect children with their cultural and historical 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 statement added.
History was controversially removed from Nigeria’s school curriculum in 2007 during an overhaul of the education system that merged it with Social Studies.
The decision drew heavy criticism from academics, civil society groups, and educationists, who argued that depriving children of historical knowledge weakened their understanding of nationhood, culture, and civic responsibility.
In 2019, the administration of former late President Muhammadu Buhari approved the return of History as a standalone subject at the basic education level, but implementation was limited.
The current announcement marks the first time the subject will be made compulsory and continuous from primary through secondary education.
The move comes at a critical time, as Nigeria grapples with deepening ethnic divisions, political instability, and a loss of civic values among the youth.
It is believed that a structured teaching of History could play a key role in fostering unity and strengthening national consciousness.
