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JAMB History syllabus.

42 topics, with subtopics and objectives.

About this syllabus official

Summarised from the examining body's own published syllabus. 42 topics, verified 2026-10-24.

Current UTME syllabus as served by IBASS on 2026-10-24; JAMB does not print the applicable years in this document.

Structure (sections, topics, contents and objectives) summarised from JAMB's publicly published UTME syllabus, with citation and link. The document itself is not reproduced or redistributed.

Source: https://ibass.jamb.gov.ng/static/media/History.64d0bbe89bb7585bcddc.pdf

Source: https://ibass.jamb.gov.ng/e-syllabus

General objectives

  • impart knowledge of Nigerian history from earliest times to the present
  • identify the similarities and relationships among the peoples of Nigeria as they relate to national unity and integration
  • appreciate Nigerian history as the basis to understand West African and African history
  • apply history to understand Nigeria's and Africa's relationship with the wider world
  • analyse issues of modernization and development
  • relate the past to the present and plan for the future

Topics

1. Land and peoples of the Nigeria area (SS 1-3)

  • geographical zones and the people
  • the people's relationship with the environment
  • main physical features and the impact of geography on human activity, e.g. hunting, fishing, farming
  • relations and integration among the peoples of different zones

You should be able to:

  • identify the geographical zones and the people within them
  • establish the relationship between the people and the environment
  • relate the impact of geography on human activity in the specific zones
  • comprehend the relationships among the various peoples of the Nigeria area

2. Early centres of civilization (SS 1-3)

  • Nok, Daima, Ife, Benin, Igbo Ukwu and Iwo Eleru
  • monuments and shelter systems: Kuyambana, Durbi-ta-Kusheyi, city walls, moats and palaces

You should be able to:

  • highlight the main features of the early centres of civilization
  • examine the significance of various centres
  • establish the historical significance of the various monuments such as caves and rocky formations

3. Origins and formation of states in the Nigeria area (SS 1-3)

  • Central Sudan: Kanuri and Hausa states
  • Niger-Benue Valley: Nupe, Jukun, Igala, Idoma, Tiv and Ebira
  • Eastern Forest Belt: Igbo and Ibibio
  • Western Forest Belt: Yoruba and Edo
  • Coastal and Niger-Delta: Efik, Ijo, Itsekiri and Urhobo
  • factors influencing their origin and migration
  • social and political organizations
  • inter-state relations, religion, war and peace

You should be able to:

  • relate the different groups of people occupying the various zones to their traditions of origin
  • determine the inter-state relations
  • account for their social and political organizations
  • highlight the differences between centralized and non-centralized (acephalous) states

4. Economic activities and growth of states (SS 1-3)

  • agriculture: hunting, farming, fishing, animal husbandry and horticulture
  • industries: pottery, salt-making, iron-smelting, blacksmithing, leather-working, wood-carving, cloth-making, dyeing and food processing
  • trade and trade routes: local, regional, long distance, including the trade in slaves and trans-Saharan trade
  • expansion of states

You should be able to:

  • identify the various economic activities of the people
  • differentiate the economic activities and specialties of the people
  • relate trade and other economic activities to the growth of the states

5. External influences (SS 1-3)

  • North Africans/Arabs/Tuaregs: introduction, spread and impact of Islam; trans-Saharan trade
  • Europeans: early European trade with the coastal states
  • the trans-Atlantic slave trade (origin, organization and impact)
  • impact of early missionary activities in the coastal areas

You should be able to:

  • assess the impact of the contact with North Africa on the people and states south of the Sahara
  • highlight the role of the Tuaregs in the trans-Saharan trade
  • examine the impact of early European contact with the coastal people
  • outline the impact of the early Christian missionary activities in the coastal areas
  • trace the origin, organization and impact of the trans-Atlantic slave trade

6. The Sokoto Caliphate (SS 1-3)

  • the Sokoto Jihad: causes, course and consequences
  • the causes and the process of the jihad
  • the establishment and administration of the caliphate and relations with neighbours
  • the achievements and impact of the caliphate
  • the collapse of the caliphate

You should be able to:

  • examine the causes and the course of the Jihad
  • determine the factors that led to the rise of the caliphate
  • examine the administrative set-up of the caliphate and its relations with its neighbours
  • examine the impact of the caliphate
  • trace the internal and external factors that led to the collapse of the caliphate

7. Kanem-Borno (SS 1-3)

  • the long survival and collapse of the Saifawa dynasty
  • Borno under the Shehus
  • Borno under Rabeh
  • Borno and the Sokoto caliphate

You should be able to:

  • highlight the factors for the long survival of the Saifawa dynasty
  • determine the factors that led to the collapse of the Saifawa dynasty
  • examine Borno under the administration of the Shehus
  • assess the role of Rabeh in Borno's history

8. Yorubaland (SS 1-3)

  • the fall of the Old Oyo Empire
  • the Yoruba wars and their impact
  • the peace treaty of 1886 and its aftermath

You should be able to:

  • examine the causes and the implications of the fall of the Old Oyo Empire
  • examine the causes and effects of the Yoruba wars
  • assess the impact of the 1886 peace treaty

9. Benin (SS 1-3)

  • internal political and cultural development
  • relations with neighbours
  • relations with the Europeans

You should be able to:

  • examine the internal political and cultural development
  • examine her relations with her neighbours
  • assess her relationship with the Europeans

10. Nupe (SS 1-3)

  • internal political and cultural development
  • relations with neighbours
  • Nupe imperialism

You should be able to:

  • examine Nupe internal political and cultural development
  • assess her relations with her neighbours
  • highlight the scope and nature of Nupe imperialism

11. Igbo (SS 1-3)

  • internal political and cultural development
  • relations with neighbours

You should be able to:

  • examine Igbo internal political and cultural development
  • assess her relations with her neighbours

12. Efik (SS 1-3)

  • internal political and cultural development
  • relations with neighbours

You should be able to:

  • examine Efik internal political and cultural development
  • assess her relations with her neighbours

13. European penetration and impact (SS 1-3)

  • European exploration of the interior
  • the suppression of the trans-Atlantic slave trade
  • the development of commodity trade and rise of consular authority
  • Christian missionary activities
  • the activities of the trading companies
  • impact of European activities on the coast and the hinterland

You should be able to:

  • examine the motive for the exploration of the interior
  • give reasons for the suppression of the trans-Atlantic slave trade
  • trace the development of commodity trade
  • examine missionary and European activities in the area
  • assess the activities of the European trading companies
  • account for the rise of consular authority

14. British conquest of the Nigeria area (SS 1-3)

  • the first phase of the British conquest of Nigeria 1851-1900
  • second phase of the conquest and motives
  • methods of the conquest and its result
  • resistance to and aftermath of the conquest

You should be able to:

  • highlight the factors responsible for the bombardment and annexation of Lagos
  • determine the reasons for the conquest and the methods used during the second phase
  • examine the various acts of resistance to the conquest
  • evaluate the results and the aftermath of the conquest

15. The establishment of colonial rule up to 1914 (SS 1-3)

  • pacification and occupation of the territories
  • resistance to the pacification and occupation, i.e. the Ekumeku Movement in Asaba hinterland 1898-1911, the Satiru uprising of 1906
  • administration of the Protectorates

You should be able to:

  • outline the various features and methods of the British pacification and occupation of the territories
  • examine the administrative set-up of the Protectorates

16. The Amalgamation of 1914 (SS 1-3)

  • reasons
  • effects

You should be able to:

  • examine the reasons for the 1914 Amalgamation and its effects

17. Colonial administration after the Amalgamation (SS 1-3)

  • central administration: Legislative and Executive Councils
  • indirect rule: reasons, working and effects
  • local administrative institutions: Native Authorities, Native Courts and Native Treasuries
  • resistance to colonial rule: Egba anti-tax agitation of 1918 and the Aba Women Movement in 1929

You should be able to:

  • relate the composition of the central administrative set-up to its consequences
  • identify the reasons for the introduction and workings of the indirect rule system
  • assess the effects of indirect rule
  • examine the local administrative units
  • account for the anti-colonial movements and their significance

18. The colonial economy (SS 1-3)

  • currency, taxation and forced labour
  • infrastructure (transportation, post and telecommunications)
  • agriculture
  • mining
  • industry
  • commerce
  • banking

You should be able to:

  • examine the nature of the economy as it affected the society under colonial rule

19. Social development under colonial rule (SS 1-3)

  • Western education
  • urbanization/social integration
  • improvement unions
  • health institutions

You should be able to:

  • identify the scope of social development under colonial rule
  • examine the impact of urbanization on the people
  • examine the level of social integration among the people

20. Constitutional developments, nationalism and independence (SS 1-3)

  • the 1922 Clifford Constitution and the rise of Nigeria's first political party
  • World War II and the agitation for independence
  • the rise of nationalist movements
  • the Richards Constitution of 1946
  • the Macpherson Constitution of 1951
  • party politics: regionalism, federalism and minority question
  • Lyttleton Constitution of 1954
  • constitutional conferences in Lagos in 1957 and London in 1958
  • the general elections of 1959 and independence in 1960

You should be able to:

  • highlight the significance of the Clifford constitution of 1922
  • examine the effect of World War II on the agitations for independence and constitutional developments
  • trace the emergence of the nationalist movement
  • assess the roles of the different constitutions in constitutional development
  • trace the development of party politics and its impact on regionalism and the minority question
  • examine the impact of the constitutional conferences on the move towards independence
  • determine the factors that aided the attainment of independence

21. The politics of the First Republic and military intervention (SS 1-3)

  • struggle for the control of the centre
  • issue of revenue allocation
  • the 1962/63 census controversies
  • the 1963 Republican constitution
  • minority agitations
  • the Action Group crisis and the General Elections of 1964/65
  • the coup d'etat of January 1966 and the counter coup of July 1966
  • the Ironsi regime

You should be able to:

  • give reasons behind the struggle for the control of the centre
  • account for the controversies in revenue allocation
  • account for the controversies generated by the 1962/63 census
  • highlight the key features and significance of the 1963 constitution
  • account for the controversies generated by minority agitations and the quest for creation of states
  • examine the problems created by the Action Group crisis and the General Elections of 1964/65
  • analyse the consequences of the 1966 military intervention

22. The Nigerian Civil War (SS 1-3)

  • causes
  • course
  • effects

You should be able to:

  • examine the remote and immediate causes of the war
  • examine the course
  • assess the effects of the war

23. The Gowon regime (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess the challenges and achievements of the Gowon regime

24. Murtala/Obasanjo regime (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess the challenges and achievements of the Murtala/Obasanjo regime

25. The Second Republic (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • evaluate the challenges and achievements of the Second Republic

26. The Buhari regime (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess the challenges and achievements of the Buhari regime

27. The Babangida regime (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess the challenges and achievements of the Babangida regime

28. The Interim National Government (ING) (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • examine the role and challenges of the Interim National Government

29. The Abacha regime (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess the challenges and achievements of the Abacha regime

30. Transition to the Fourth Republic (SS 1-3)

You should be able to:

  • assess challenges and achievements of the Abdulsalami regime
  • examine the role of the key actors in the transition process and the growth and development of the Fourth Republic

31. Nigeria in international organizations (SS 1-3)

  • Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)
  • African Union (AU)
  • Commonwealth of Nations
  • Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
  • United Nations Organization

You should be able to:

  • examine the role of Nigeria in ECOWAS
  • assess the role of Nigeria in the AU
  • evaluate the role of Nigeria in the Commonwealth of Nations
  • assess the role of Nigeria in OPEC
  • examine the role of Nigeria in the UN
  • examine the role of Nigeria in conflict resolutions in the Congo, Chad, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and the Sudan

32. Islamic reform movements and state building in West Africa (SS 1-3)

  • relationship between Sokoto and other Jihads
  • the Jihads of Seku Ahmadu and Al-Hajj Umar
  • the activities of Samori Toure

You should be able to:

  • establish the relationship between the Sokoto Jihad and other Jihads in West Africa
  • compare the achievements of the Jihads of Seku Ahmadu and Al-Hajj Umar
  • examine the activities of Samori Toure of the Mandinka Empire

33. Sierra Leone, Liberia and Christian missionary activities in West Africa (SS 1-3)

  • the foundation of Sierra Leone and Liberia and the spread of Christianity
  • the activities and impact of Christian missionaries

You should be able to:

  • determine the factors that led to the founding of Sierra Leone and Liberia
  • examine the importance of Sierra Leone and Liberia in the spread and impact of Christianity in West Africa
  • assess the impact of Christian missionary activities in West Africa

34. Egypt under Mohammed Ali and Khedive Ismail (SS 1-3)

  • the rise of Mohammad Ali and his reforms
  • Mohammad Ali's relations with the Europeans
  • Ismail's fiscal policies
  • the British occupation of Egypt

You should be able to:

  • determine the factors that aided Mohammad Ali's rise to power and his reforms
  • establish the relationship between Mohammad Ali's Empire and the Europeans
  • account for the fiscal policies of Ismail
  • examine the reasons for the British occupation of Egypt

35. Ethiopia in the 19th century (SS 1-3)

  • the rise of Theodore II and his attempt at the unification of Ethiopia
  • Menelik II and Ethiopian independence

You should be able to:

  • examine the factors that led to the rise of Theodore II as the Emperor of Ethiopia
  • analyse the strategies that were adopted to achieve Ethiopian unification
  • assess the role of Menelik II in the maintenance of Ethiopian independence

36. The Mfecane (SS 1-3)

  • the rise of the Zulu nation
  • causes, course and consequences of the Mfecane

You should be able to:

  • trace events in Nguniland before the Mfecane
  • determine the factors that led to the rapid rise of Shaka
  • examine the causes, course and consequences of the Mfecane

37. The Great Trek (SS 1-3)

  • the frontier wars
  • British intervention in the Boer-African relations
  • the Great Trek and its consequences

You should be able to:

  • determine the factors that led to the frontier wars
  • account for British intervention in the Boer-African relations
  • describe the nature of the Great Trek
  • examine its consequences

38. The New Imperialism and European occupation of Africa (SS 1-3)

  • the New Imperialism in Africa
  • European scramble for Africa
  • the Berlin Conference
  • the occupation and resistance by Africans

You should be able to:

  • understand the concept of the New Imperialism
  • assess the justifications for the New Imperialism
  • examine the causes of the scramble and the nations involved
  • account for the significance of the Berlin Conference
  • highlight African resistance to the occupation

39. Patterns of colonial rule in Africa (SS 1-3)

  • the British
  • the French
  • the Portuguese
  • the Belgians
  • the Germans
  • the Spanish

You should be able to:

  • examine and compare the patterns of colonial rule by the various European powers

40. The politics of decolonization (SS 1-3)

  • colonial policies and African discontent
  • the impact of the two World Wars
  • nationalist activities and the emergence of political parties and associations
  • strategies for attaining independence

You should be able to:

  • examine the policies employed by the colonial rulers and the magnitude of African discontent
  • assess the impact of the First and Second World Wars on African nationalism
  • determine the strategies used in the attainment of independence

41. Apartheid in South Africa (SS 1-3)

  • the origin of Apartheid
  • rise of Afrikaner nationalism
  • enactment of Apartheid laws
  • internal reactions to Apartheid and the suppression of African nationalist movements
  • external reactions to Apartheid: the Frontline States, the Commonwealth of Nations, OAU and the UN
  • the dismantling of Apartheid
  • post-Apartheid developments

You should be able to:

  • trace the origin of Apartheid in South Africa
  • give reasons for the rise of Afrikaner nationalism
  • highlight Apartheid laws
  • relate the internal reactions to Apartheid to the African struggle for majority rule
  • relate the contributions of African states and international organizations to the fight against Apartheid
  • identify the steps taken towards the dismantling of Apartheid in South Africa
  • assess the post-Apartheid developments in South Africa

42. Problems of nation-building in Africa (SS 1-3)

  • political and economic challenges and constraints
  • physical and environmental challenges
  • ethnic and religious pluralism
  • military intervention and political instability
  • neo-colonialism and under-development
  • boundary disputes and threat to African unity
  • civil wars and the refugee problem
  • terrorism
  • globalisation

You should be able to:

  • examine the political and economic problems faced by African countries in nation-building
  • assess the effects of natural disasters on Africa
  • determine the role of ethnic and religious problems in Africa
  • examine the role and implications of military interventions in African politics
  • examine the role and implications of neo-colonialism in Africa
  • highlight the problems of boundary disputes
  • establish the relationship between civil wars and refugee problems in Africa
  • examine the consequences of terrorism for African states and societies
  • enumerate the effects of globalisation on African nations

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