Basic 1 History lesson notes
All Basic 1 History notes (18)Basic 2 History lesson notes
Basic 2 History First Term
Basic 2 History Second Term
Basic 2 History Third Term
Basic 3 History lesson notes
All Basic 3 History notes (20)Basic 4 History lesson notes
All Basic 4 History notes (14)Basic 5 History lesson notes
Basic 5 History First Term
Basic 5 History Second Term
Basic 5 History Third Term
Basic 6 History lesson notes
All Basic 6 History notes (14)Print it or edit it in Word
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About History Lesson Notes
History helps pupils learn where they and their community come from. In Nigeria’s revised national curriculum, Nigerian History is taught from Primary 1, and the History notes on this site cover Basic 1, Basic 3 and Basic 6. The notes for the other classes are on the Nigerian History subject page.
Basic 1 starts close to home: family history, the origins of peoples in Lagos State, heroes and heroines of the community, festivals, traditional music and handcrafts, and the work of traditional rulers and title holders. Basic 3 widens to the geopolitical zones of Nigeria and their peoples, early heroes and heroines of Lagos and Nigeria, and towns and settlements. Basic 6 moves to the modern period: civil rule and military rule, the oil economy and the growth of industry in Nigeria.
What students learn
By the end of Basic 6, a pupil who has worked through these notes should be able to:
- Explain what history is and why we study it
- Trace the history of their own family and community
- Name some of the peoples, places, festivals and traditions of Lagos State
- Describe the roles of traditional rulers and title holders
- Name the geopolitical zones of Nigeria and some of the peoples in each
- Describe the lives of some early heroes and heroines of Lagos and Nigeria
- Outline the periods of civil rule and military rule in Nigeria since 1960
- Explain why oil matters to the Nigerian economy and describe the growth of industry
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.
Basic 1 History 18 notes
First Term 5 notes
Second Term 5 notes
Basic 3 History 20 notes
First Term 10 notes
- Geopolitical Zones of Nigeria
- South-west Geo-political Zone People (Ancient & Modern)
- South-west Geopolitical Zone in Nigeria (Ancient)
- South-south Geopolitical Zone in Nigeria (Modern)
- South-South Geopolitical Zone (Ancient) Continued
- South-East Geopolitical Zone (Modern)
- South-East Geopolitical Zone Peoples (Ancient) Continued
- North-East Geopolitical Zone Peoples (Modern)
- North-Central Geopolitical Zone
- North-west Geopolitical Zone
Second Term 5 notes
Basic 4 History 14 notes
First Term 6 notes
Basic 6 History 14 notes
First Term 5 notes
Second Term 6 notes
- Military Rule in Nigeria: General Ibrahim Babangida
- Military Rule in Nigeria: General Sanni Abacha
- Military Rule in Nigeria: General Abdulsalami Abubakar
- Economic History of Nigeria: Oil Economy (Part I)
- Economic History of Nigeria: Oil Economy (Part II)
- Economic History of Nigeria: Oil Economy (Part III)
How we prepare our lesson notes
Each note covers one topic for one class and one term, and the notes are arranged in teaching order. Every note has behavioural objectives, the lesson content in short sections, evaluation questions and an assignment, and the questions and assignment are drawn from the same note.
Before publication, notes are edited for accuracy, plain language and the right level for the class. Teachers can then use them as a clear starting point and adapt them to their own pupils.
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 History textbooks
Books are grouped by class. The line under each title shows which list recommends it.
Basic 1 History textbooks 5 books
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| New Smart History for Primary Schools 1FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2021 | Aloo Akinkumi et al | Cambridge University Press |
| Nigerian History for Primary Schools Book 1FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | T.N.J. Umunnakwe, Yahaya Ibrahim et al | Alphabet Books Limited. |
| Nigerian History for Primary schoolsFG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | J. Hussain, CC. John, A. Yusuf, T. James | Yaliam Press Ltd. |
| NIGERIAN HISTORYFG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | Oluwaseun Olorunfemi | Marvelous Mike Press Ltd |
| Extension Modern Nigerian History for Primary Schools Book 1FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | Adetola O.A. et al. | Extension Publications Limited |
Basic 2 History textbooks 1 book
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| History for Primary Schools Book 2Not on an official list | Not stated on listing | Not stated (Learn Africa store) |
Basic 3 History textbooks 1 book
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| History for Primary School Primary 3Not on an official list | Not stated on listing | Not stated (Learn Africa store) |
Basic 4 History textbooks 5 books
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| Nigerian HistoryFG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | Jibrin, H.A., Onoja, I., Oyebiyi, O. & Udeagbala. P.N. | Learn Africa PLC |
| Revised Nigerian History for Primary School 4FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | J. Hussin, C.C. John, A. Yusuf; T. James | Yaliam Publishers |
| New Smart History for Primary Schools 4FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2025 | Aloo Akinkumi et al | Cambridge University Press |
| Nigerian History For Primary Schools PupilsFG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | Oluwasegun Olorunfemi | Marvelous Mike Press |
| Extension Modern Nigerian History for Primary Schools Book 4FG NERDC approved list, 2026 to 2028Edition: 2026 | Adetola O.A. et al. | Extension Publications Limited |
Basic 5 History textbooks 3 books
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| History for Primary SchoolAnambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Jibrin H. et al | Learn Africa |
| History for Nigerian Primary Schools (listed as 'History for Nigerian')Anambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Ogbogbo C., B.N. Folayemi et al | University Press PLC |
| Nigerian History for Primary School with WorkbookAnambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Sr. Chiamaka Nwaka PhD and Daniel Olisa Iweze PhD | Thonik Prints Production |
Basic 6 History textbooks 3 books
| Name | Author | Publisher |
|---|---|---|
| History for Primary SchoolAnambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Jibrin H. et al | Learn Africa |
| History for Nigerian Primary Schools (listed as 'History for Nigerian')Anambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Ogbogbo C., B.N. Folayemi et al | University Press PLC |
| Nigerian History for Primary School with WorkbookAnambra State Govt (Ministry of Education) | Sr. Chiamaka Nwaka PhD and Daniel Olisa Iweze PhD | Thonik Prints Production |
Based on the 2026/27 recommended lists. Editions change, so confirm the current edition with your school or bookseller.
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