Best Textbooks for JAMB 2026 Preparation: The “Secret” List to Smash 300+

Best Textbooks for JAMB 2026 Preparation: The “Secret” List to Smash 300+

Let’s be honest for a second. The JAMB exam hall is not a place for “vibes.” You might have been the best student in your SS2 class, but JAMB is a different beast entirely. Every year, I see brilliant students score 180 while average students hit 280+.

What’s the difference? It’s rarely about intelligence. It’s about the materials they use.

If you are using outdated textbooks or relying solely on your teacher’s dictated notes from school, you are setting yourself up for a “shock” when the results come out. You don’t want to be refreshing the JAMB portal with shaking hands, praying for a miracle.

To hit that 300+ score and secure admission into schools like UNILAG or UI, you need the right tools. Here is the curated list of the best textbooks for JAMB 2026 preparation that actually work.

Why Your Secondary School Notes Aren’t Enough

You might be thinking, “But I copied notes in class, why do I need to spend money on these big books?”

Here’s the problem. Your classroom teacher was likely teaching you to pass WAEC or your school exams. JAMB is objective-based. It tests speed, accuracy, and deep understanding of specific concepts. Your notebook might summarize a topic in two pages, but JAMB will ask a question from a footnote you missed.

Don’t gamble with your admission. Get the standard texts.

The Holy Grail: Use the JAMB Syllabus First

Before you even buy a single book, you need the map. The JAMB Syllabus is your guide. It tells you exactly what topics to read and what to ignore.

A lot of students read chapters that JAMB has removed from the curriculum years ago. That’s wasted energy. You can usually find the updated syllabus on the official JAMB website or within the JAMB brochure. Always check the syllabus before opening your textbook.

Compulsory For All: The Best Textbooks for Use of English

English is the one subject you cannot escape. And honestly? It’s where most Nigerian students lose marks. You think because you speak English daily, you’ll ace it. Big lie. The “Lexis and Structure” part can confuse even professors.

For 2026, these are the heavy hitters:

• The Invisible Teacher by Dele Ashade: If you don’t have this book, go and get it. It breaks down the rules of grammar so simply that it feels like the author is sitting beside you. It explains why an answer is correct, not just what the answer is.

• A-One in English: This is excellent for structural practice.

• The Compulsory Novel: Every year, JAMB picks a mandatory text (like The Life Changer in previous years). Don’t just read the summary online. Read the actual book. JAMB likes to ask questions about the tiniest details, like the color of a character’s shirt.

Science Students’ Corner (Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Math)

If you are gunning for Medicine, Engineering, or Computer Science, the competition is wicked. You need standard textbooks that cover the “hidden” calculations.

Physics

• New School Physics (by Anyakoha): This is the bible of secondary school Physics in Nigeria. If you can master the calculations here, JAMB physics will look like primary school work.

• Lamlad Physics: This is for the students who want to score 90/100. The questions here are tough, slightly harder than JAMB, which makes the actual exam feel easy.

Chemistry

• New School Chemistry (by Osei Yaw Ababio): “Ababio” is legendary. It’s bulky, yes. It looks scary, yes. But it covers everything.

• Explicit Chemistry: Good for quick revision and understanding organic chemistry without headaches.

Biology

• Modern Biology (by Ramalingam): This is the standard. The diagrams are clear, and the explanations align perfectly with the JAMB marking scheme.

Mathematics

• New General Mathematics: Good for basics, but for JAMB? You need something sharper.

• The “Hidden” Gem: Try getting past question series that solve problems step-by-step. Math is about practice, not just reading.

According to admission stats from top universities like the University of Lagos (UNILAG), the cut-off marks for science courses are always skyrocketing. You can’t afford to be average.

Art & Commercial Students’ Essentials

Just because you aren’t calculating trajectory doesn’t mean your exams are easy. Government and Literature can be tricky because the options often look alike.

• Government: Comprehensive Government is your best bet. It covers political history and constitution analysis in depth.

• Economics: Fundamental Principles of Economics (by Akinbumiti) is fantastic. It simplifies those annoying demand and supply curves.

• Literature-in-English: Do not rely on “key points.” Buy the actual drama and poetry texts listed in the syllabus. JAMB asks context questions that summaries won’t give you.

The “Cheat Code”: Past Questions & Answer Series

If you read all the textbooks above but don’t solve past questions, you might still fail. Why? Because JAMB repeats questions.

They might twist the numbers or change the phrasing, but the concept remains the same.

The Golden Rule: Don’t just mark the answer. Read the explanation. I recommend the Lamlad or Explicit series for past questions. They don’t just give you “Option A.” They explain why Option A is right and why B, C, and D are wrong.

Check educational news sites like The Guardian Nigeria for updates on exam dates and registration tips so you don’t miss out while you’re busy studying.

Common Mistakes: Why Students Buy Books and Still Fail

You have the books. You have the brain. So why do things go wrong?

1. Collecting Books like Souvenirs: Some of you buy 10 books and read none. Pick one solid textbook per subject and finish it.

2. Cramming (La Cram, La Pour): This works for secondary school exams. It fails in JAMB. If you cram a definition but don’t understand the concept, you will be confused when JAMB twists the question.

3. Ignoring the “Weak” Subjects: You love Biology, so you read it every day. You hate Chemistry, so you avoid it. That Chemistry score will pull down your total aggregate. You need to balance your reading.

Final Words: Start Reading Now

Don’t wait until two weeks before the exam. The syllabus is huge. The “village people” aren’t after you; your lack of preparation is the real enemy.

Get these textbooks. Create a timetable that works for you—whether that’s reading at midnight or early morning.

One last thing: Consistency beats intensity. Reading 2 hours every day is better than reading 15 hours once a week.

You’ve got this. Now, go open that book.