JAMB has officially released the syllabus for all subjects to be taken in the 2025 UTME examinations. The JAMB Syllabus for Government is provided to help candidates identify the key areas to focus on during their revision.
All candidates are advised to follow the topics listed in the syllabus to ensure they are well-prepared and can guarantee success in the examination. For those who have yet to see the syllabus, it is available in this post, and you can even download it for easy access. Additionally, we have included a list of recommended books that will aid you in your revision and help you prepare effectively.
Whether you want to download the JAMB Government syllabus PDF or simply understand what topics to focus on, this article will walk you through it all in a structured, student-friendly format.
JAMB Syllabus For Government 2025
These are the topics you will encounter in the JAMB Government paper. Be sure to update yourself with information on these topics so that you can be fully prepared and increase your chances of success in the examination.
Part I: Elements of Government
| No. | Topic | Subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basic Concepts in Government | a. Power, Authority, Legitimacy, Sovereignty b. Society, State, Nation, Nation-State c. Political Processes – Socialization, Participation, Culture |
| 2 | Forms of Government | Monarchy, Aristocracy, Oligarchy, Autocracy, Republicanism, Democracy – definitions, features, merits, and demerits |
| 3 | Arms of Government | a. Legislature – types, structure, functions, powers b. Executive – types, functions, powers, etc. Judiciary – functions, powers, components . Relationships |
| 4 | Structures of Governance | a. Unitary b. Federal c. Confederal – each with its features, reasons for adoption, merits, and demerits |
| 5 | Systems of Governance | Presidential, Parliamentary, Monarchical |
| 6 | Political Ideologies | Communalism, Feudalism, Capitalism, Socialism, Communism, Totalitarianism, Fascism, Nazism |
| 7 | Constitution | Meaning, Sources, Functions, Types – Written, Unwritten, Rigid, Flexible |
| 8 | Principles of Democratic Government | Ethics, Accountability, Separation of Power, Checks and Balances, Rule of Law, Representation, Constitutionalism |
| 9 | Processes of Legislation | Legislative Enactments – acts, edicts, by-laws, delegated legislation, decrees |
| 10 | Citizenship | a. Meaning, Types b. Citizenship Rights c. Dual citizenship, Renunciation, Deprivation d. Duties of Citizens & the State |
| 11 | The Electoral Process | a. Suffrage – evolution, types b. Election – types, ingredients, etc. Electoral System – types, pros & cons d. Electoral Commission – functions, issues |
| 12 | Political Parties and Party Systems | a. Political Parties – definition, organization, functions b. Party Systems – definition, structure, functions |
| 13 | Pressure Groups | a. Definition, Types, Functions, Modes of Operation b. Differences from Political Parties |
| 14 | Public Opinion | a. Meaning, Formation, Measurement b. Functions and Limitations |
| 15 | The Civil Service | Definition, Characteristics, Functions, Structure, Control, Problems |
Part II: Political Development in Nigeria
| No. | Topic | Subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-colonial Polities | Hausa, Emirate, Tiv, Igbo, Yoruba – structure & political institutions |
| 2 | Imperialist Penetration | a. British acquisition – trade, missions, company rule b. British & French administrative policies c. Impacts d. Comparative analysis |
| 3 | Process of Decolonization | a. Nationalism – meaning, types b. Movements – goals, strategies, etc. Leaders d. Emergence of parties . External influences |
| 4 | Constitutional Development | Clifford (1922), Richards (1946), Macpherson (1951), Lyttleton (1954), Independence (1960) – features, merits, demerits |
| 5 | Post-Independence Constitutions | 1963, 1979, 1989, 1999 – characteristics and shortcomings |
| 6 | Institutions of Government | Legislative, Executive, Judiciary – structure, functions, operations |
| 7 | Public Commissions | Civil Service, Public Complaints, Electoral Commission, Boundary Commission – objectives, functions, problems |
| 8 | Political Parties Post-Independence | First, Second, Third, Fourth Republics – evolution, spread, structure |
| 9 | Nigerian Federalism | a. Rationale b. Tiers and relations c. State creation – various years d. Federalism problems & solutions |
| 10 | Public Corporations & Parastatals | Definition, types, functions, finance, control, deregulation, privatization, comparison |
| 11 | Local Government | a. Pre-1976 structure b. Reforms (1976, 1989) c. Traditional rulers d. Problems |
| 12 | The Military in Politics | :. Causes of intervention b. Structure c. Impacts – political/economic d. Disengagement processes |
Part III: Foreign Policy & Nigeria’s Relations
| No. | Topic | Subtopics |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foreign Policy | Definition, Purpose, Determinants, Formulation, Implementation |
| 2 | Nigeria’s Foreign Policy | Relations with major powers, developing nations (e.g., TAC), Non-alignment Policy |
| 3 | African Relations | Africa as the centrepiece – principles, implementation, NEPAD – origin, objectives, implications |
| 4 | Nigeria in Intl. Orgs | UN, Commonwealth, OAU, AU, ECOWAS, OPEC – roles and involvement |
Part IV: International Organizations
| No. | Organization | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ECOWAS, OAU/AU, Commonwealth, OPEC, UNO, African Petroleum Producers Association | For each: Origin, Objectives, Structure, Functions, Achievements, Problems, Prospects |
Recommended Texts for JAMB Government Syllabus 2025
- Adigwe, F (1985). Essentials of Government for West Africa, Ibadan: University Press Plc.
- Anifowose, R. and Enemuo, F. C (eds)(1999) Elements of Politics, Lagos; Malthouse Press Limited.
- Appadorai, A. (1978). The Substance of Politics, London: Oxford University Press.
- Ball, A. R. (1983).Modern Politics and Government, London: Macmillan.
- Ofoegbu, R. (1977) Government for the Certificate Year, London: George Allen and Unwin.
- Olawale, J. B. (1987). New Topics on Ordinary Level Government, Ilesha: Jola Publishing.
- Oyediran, O. Nwosu, H., Takaya, B., Anifowoshe, R., Femi, B., Godwill, O., and Adigun, A. (1990) Government for Senior Secondary Schools, Books 1, 2 and 3, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyeneye, I., Onyenwenu, M. and Olusunde, B. E. (2000) Round-Up Government for Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination: A Complete Guide, Ibadan: Longman.
- Oyovbaire, S., Ogunna, A. E. C., Amucheazi, E. C., Coker, H. O. and Oshuntuyi, O. (2001) Countdown to Senior Secondary Certificate Examination: Government, Ibadan: Evans.
The JAMB syllabus for Government 2025/2026 is your best bet for focused, result-driven study. With the right resources, dedication, and this detailed guide, you can ace Government and boost your total UTME score significantly. We hope this article is comprehensive enough. If you have questions on this topic, do well to let us know in the comment section below, and we will be happy to reply to them all.
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