Commerce lesson notes for SS1–SS3

What students learn

By the end of SS3, a student who has worked through these notes should be able to:

• Explain the meaning of commerce, occupation and production
• Compare small and large scale retailers and describe the role of wholesale trade
• Describe the documents used in foreign trade and the work of the Customs and Excise Authority, the NPA and the NAA
• Distinguish sole proprietorship from partnership
• Outline the functions of money, credit, insurance, warehousing and transportation
• Describe how the Stock Exchange and the Second Tier Securities Market work
• Identify the main types of contract and explain the law of agency, the sale of goods and hire purchase
• State the aims of ECOWAS and other West African economic groupings

What each class covers

Every topic is a separate lesson note, listed here in teaching order. Open any topic, or the term, to read it.

SS1 Commerce 19 notes

First Term 5 notes

• Introduction to Commerce
• Occupation
• Production
• Trade: Retailers & Retail Trade
• Foreign Trade

Second Term 9 notes

• Home Trade: Small Retailers
• Home Trade: Large Scale Retailers
• Home Trade: Modern Trends in Retailing
• Home Trade: Wholesale Trade
• Foreign Trade
• Foreign Trade II: Concepts of International Trade
• Foreign Trade III: Documents Used in Foreign Trade
• Foreign Trade: Custom and Excise Authority
• Foreign Trade V: Nigeria Ports (NPA) & Nigeria Airport Authority (NAA)

Third Term 5 notes

• Commodity Exchange
• Sole Proprietorship
• Partnership
• Partnership II
• Money

SS2 Commerce 12 notes

First Term 1 note

• National Consciousness

Second Term 5 notes

• Credit
• Trade Associations
• Insurance
• Consumer Protection
• Transportation

Third Term 6 notes

• Warehousing
• The Stock Exchange
• The Second Tier Securities Market
• Capital
• Turnover
• Communication

SS3 Commerce 15 notes

First Term 9 notes

• Business Law
• Types of Contract
• Law of Agency
• Contract of Sales of Goods
• Hire Purchase/Instalment Payment/ Deferred Payment
• Contract of Employment
• Government Regulation of Business
• Structure of Business: Organisation Chart
• Introduction to Business Management

Second Term 6 notes

• Introduction to Marketing
• Advertising
• Business Documents and Means of Payment
• Privatisation and Commercialisation
• Economic Grouping in West Africa: (ECOWAS) & Niger Basin Commission
• Economic Grouping in West Africa (CONTD) West Africa Clearing House (WACH), Mano River Basin Commission.

How we prepare our lesson notes

Each note covers one topic for one class and one term, and the notes follow teaching order. Every note has behavioural objectives, the lesson content in short sections, evaluation questions and an assignment drawn from the same note.

Before publication, notes are edited for accuracy, plain language and the right level for the class.

Every note is free to read online. A PDF or Word copy of one subject costs ₦1,000 for one term, or ₦2,000 for all three terms. If you find a mistake, tell us and we will correct it.

Recommended Commerce textbooks

Books are grouped by class. The line under each title shows which list recommends it.

SS1 Commerce textbooks 3 books

Name	Author	Publisher
Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1-3JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 1999 (per JAMB list)	M.O. Odedokun et al.	Longman
New Syllabus Commerce for Secondary Schools, Books 1-3 (2nd ed.)JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 2005 (per JAMB list)	A. Asaolu & P.M. Igwe	Evans
Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary SchoolSchool booklist – International School, University of Ibadan (UI-owned)Edition: 2025 edition (Jumia listing)	A.O. (Femi) Longe	Tonad Publishers

SS2 Commerce textbooks 3 books

Name	Author	Publisher
Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1-3JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 1999 (per JAMB list)	M.O. Odedokun et al.	Longman
New Syllabus Commerce for Secondary Schools, Books 1-3 (2nd ed.)JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 2005 (per JAMB list)	A. Asaolu & P.M. Igwe	Evans
Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary SchoolSchool booklist – International School, University of Ibadan (UI-owned)Edition: 2025 edition (Jumia listing)	A.O. (Femi) Longe	Tonad Publishers

SS3 Commerce textbooks 3 books

Name	Author	Publisher
Commerce for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1-3JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 1999 (per JAMB list)	M.O. Odedokun et al.	Longman
New Syllabus Commerce for Secondary Schools, Books 1-3 (2nd ed.)JAMB (UTME syllabus recommended texts)Edition: 2005 (per JAMB list)	A. Asaolu & P.M. Igwe	Evans
Essential Commerce for Senior Secondary SchoolSchool booklist – International School, University of Ibadan (UI-owned)Edition: 2025 edition (Jumia listing)	A.O. (Femi) Longe	Tonad Publishers

Based on the 2026/27 recommended lists. Editions change, so confirm the current edition with your school or bookseller.