JAMB SYLLABUS

COMMERCE

GENERAL OBJECTIVES

The aim of the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination

(UTME) syllabus in Commerce is to prepare the candidates for
the Board’s examination. It is designed to test their
understanding of the course objectives, which are to:

(1) acquire the basic knowledge of Commerce;

(2) examine the relationship between Commerce and

other related fields;

(3) apply the principles of Commerce in the Nigerian

economy and

(4) appreciate dynamic and positive changes in

commercial activities.
 Commerce

DETAILED SYLLABUS

TOPICS/CONTENTS/NOTES OBJECTIVES

Candidates should be able to:

1. Commerce

(i) differentiate between

(i) Meaning and scope
Commerce and other related
(ii) Characteristics
subjects;
(iii) Functions
(ii) describe the characteristics
of Commerce;
(iii) Identify the functions of
Commerce.

Candidates should be able to:

2. Occupation

(i) State the importance of

(i) Meaning and importance
occupation;
(ii) Types (industrial,
(ii) Compare the different
commercial and services)
types of occupation;
(iii) Factors that determine
(iii) Identify the factors
choice of occupation
determining the choice of
occupation.

Candidates should be able to:

3. Production

(i) identify the Factors of

(i) Factors, characteristics and

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rewards (land, labour, capital Production and their rewards;

and entrepreneur) (ii) distinguish between
(ii) Division of Labour and Division of Labour and
specialization Specialization;
(iii) Types (primary, secondary (iii) classify the types of
and tertiary) production.

4. Trade Candidates should be able to:

a. Home Trade (i) compare the various types

of retailers;
(ii) identify the functions of
(i) Retail trade: retailers;
- Types of retailers (iii) highlight the factors in
- Functions of retailers setting up retail trade;
- Factors to be considered in (iv) classify modern retailing
setting up retail trade practices;
- Trends in retailing (branding, (v) identify the advantages
self-service, vending and disadvantages of retail
machines, the use of business;
luncheon, fuel vouchers, etc) (vi) classify the types of
- Advantages and wholesalers;
disadvantages of retailers (vii) discuss the functions of
wholesalers;
(ii) Wholesale trade: (viii) outline the merits and
- Types of wholesalers demerits of the middleman;
(merchant, agent, general, (ix) analyse the basic issues in

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etc) foreign trade;

- Functions of wholesalers (x) explain the procedures and
- Advantages and documents used in foreign
disadvantages of wholesalers trade;
(xi) identify the barriers to
b. Foreign trade international trade;
(xii) appraise the role of
(i) Basic issues in foreign trade government agencies in
(balance of trade, balance of foreign trade.
payments and counter trade)
(ii) Procedures and documents
used in export, import and
entrepôt trade
(iii) Barriers to international
trade
(iv) Role of Customs and
Excise Authority, Ports
Authority, etc in foreign trade

5. Purchase and Sale of Candidates should be able to:

Goods
(i) examine the procedures
(i) Procedure and and documents
documentation (enquiry, used in the purchase and sale
quotation, order, invoice, of goods;
proforma invoice, statement of (ii) determine the terms of
accounts, indent, consular trade;

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invoice, bill of lading, (iii) distinguish between cash

certificate of origin, and credit forms of payment;
consignment note, etc) (iv) identify the types of
(ii) Terms of trade (trade credit;
discount, quantity discount, (v) analyse the merits and
cash discount, warranties, demerits of credit
C.O.D., C.I.F., F.O.B., and transactions.
E.O.E.etc)
(iii) Terms of payments
a. Cash - Legal tender
b. Credit
- Types and functions
- Merits and demerits

6. Aids-to-trade Candidates should be able to:

a. Advertising: (i) identify the different types

of advertising and its media;
(i) Types and media (ii) analyse the advantages
(ii) Advantages and and disadvantages of
disadvantages advertising;
(iii) categorize the different
b. Banking: types of bank;
(iv) assess the services
(i) Types of bank rendered by banks;
(ii) Services (v) identify the challenges
(iii) Challenges facing banks;

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(vi) assess the different stages

c. Communication: in the communication process;
(vii) analyse the types of
(i) Process and procedure communication;
(ii) Types (viii) appraise the
(iii) Trends contributions of courier
(iv) Merits and demerits services, GSM, etc., to
(v) Barriers businesses;
(ix) state the merits and
d. Insurance: demerits of
communication;
(i) Types (x) outline the barriers to
(ii) Principles communication
(iii) Terms (xi) describe the types of
(iv) Importance insurance;
(xii) apply the principles of
e. Tourism: insurance to life situations;
(xiii) explain the terms in
(i) Importance insurance;
(ii) Agencies that promote (xiv) state the importance of
tourism in Nigeria insurance;
(iii) Challenges (xv) examine the importance
of tourism;
f. Transportation: (xvi) identify the agencies that
promote tourism in Nigeria;
(i) Mode (xvii) analyse the challenges
(ii) Importance facing tourism in Nigeria;

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(iii) Advantages and (xviii) appraise the relevance

disadvantages of the various modes of
transportation;
g. Warehousing: (xix) list the importance of
transportation;
(i) Importance (xx) discuss the advantages
(ii) Types and functions and disadvantages of
(iii) Factors to be considered in transportation;
siting a warehouse (xxi) highlight the importance
of warehousing;
(xxii) appraise the
contributions of warehouses to
businesses.
(xxiii) evaluate the factors that
determine the siting of
warehouses.

Candidates should be able to:

7. Business Units

(i) identify the forms and

(i) Forms and features (Sole
features of business units;
Proprietorship, Partnership,
(ii) analyse the procedures for
Limited Liability Companies,
registering businesses;
Public Corporations,
(iii) appraise the different
Cooperative Societies, etc.)
forms of business mergers and
(ii) Registration of businesses
the reasons for merging;
(iii) Business Mergers
(iv) examine the factors which
(iv) Determination of choice of

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business units determine the choice of

(v) Dissolution and liquidation business units;
(vi) Merits and demerits (v) differentiate between
dissolution and liquidation of
business;
(vi) state the merits and
demerits of business units.

8. Financing Business Candidates should be able to:

(i) Sources of finance (i) identify the various ways of

(personal savings, sale of financing a business;
shares and bonds, loans, (ii) discuss the different types
debentures, mortgage, bank of capital
overdraft, ploughing back of (iii) compute the different
profit, credit purchase, forms of capital, profits and
leasing, etc.) turnover;
(ii) Types of capital (share (iv) appraise the problems
capital, capital owned, associated with sourcing
authorized capital, issued finances for business;
capital, called-up capital, paid- (v) assess the role of Bureau
up capital, liquid capital, de change in an economy.
working capital and owners’
equity)
(iii) Calculation of forms of
capital, profits (gross and net)
and turnover

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(iv) Problems of sourcing

finance
(v) The role of Bureau de
change in an economy

9. Trade Associations Candidates should be able to:

(i) Objectives and functions of (i) discuss the objectives and

trade and manufacturer’s functions of trade and
associations (Cocoa Farmers’ manufacturer’s associations;
Association, Garri Sellers’ (ii) list the objectives and
Association, Poultry Farmers’ functions of Chambers of
Association, etc.) Commerce.
(ii) Objectives and functions of
Chambers of Commerce.

10. Money Candidates should be able to:

(i) Evolution (i) discuss the origin of

(ii) Forms and qualities money;
(iii) Functions (ii) analyse the forms and
qualities of money;
(iii) appraise the functions of
money.

11. Stock Exchange

Candidates should be able to:

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(i) Importance and functions (i) state the importance and

(ii) Types of securities (stocks, functions of the Stock
shares, bonds, debentures, Exchange;
etc) (ii) identify the different
(iii) Procedure of transactions securities traded on the Stock
and speculations Exchange;
(iv) Second-Tier Securities (iii) analyse the procedure of
Market, (listing requirements, transactions and speculations
types of companies for the on the Stock Exchange;
market, advantages and (iv) appraise the advantages
operating regulations of the and operating regulations of
market.) the market.

12. Elements of Business Candidates should be able to:

Management
(i) appraise the functions of
(i) Functions (planning, management;
organizing, staffing, (ii) analyse the principles of
coordinating, motivating, management;
communicating, controlling (iii) identify organizational
etc.) structures;
(ii) Principles (span of control, (iv) assess the functional
unity of command, delegation areas of business;
of authority, etc.) (v) examine the business
(iii) Organizational structure resources.
(line, line and staff, functional,

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matrix and committee)

(iv) Functional areas of
business (production,
marketing, finance and
personnel)
(v) Business resources (man,
money, materials, machines
and opportunities/goodwill)

13. Elements of Marketing Candidates should be able to:

(i) Importance and Functions (i) highlight the importance

(ii) The marketing concept and functions of marketing;
(consumer orientation, (ii) discuss the marketing
customer satisfaction, concept;
integrated marketing, etc) (iii) assess the elements of
(iii) Marketing mix (product, marketing mix;
price, place and promotion) (iv) explain market
(iv) Market Segmentation segmentation;
(v) Public relations and (v) examine public relations
Customer Service. and customer service.

14. Legal Aspects of Candidates should be able to:

Business
(i) analyse the elements and
(i) Meaning and validity of a validity of a simple contract;
simple contract (ii) examine Agency, Sale of

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(ii) Agency, Sale of Goods Act Goods Act and Hire Purchase
and Hire Purchase Act Act;
(iii) Contract of employment (iii) assess the rights and
(iv) Government regulations of obligations of employers and
business (registration of employees;
business, patents, trademarks, (iv) distinguish between
copyrights, etc) patents, trademarks and
(v) Consumer protection copyrights;
(Government legislation, (v) identify the functions of
Standards Organization Trade consumerism;
Descriptions Act, Consumer
Protection Council, NAFDAC,
NDLEA, Customs and Excise,
etc.)
(vi) Regulatory agencies.

Candidates should be able to:

15. Information and
Communication Technology
(i) discuss computer
(ICT)
appreciation and application;
(ii) enumerate the types and
a. Computer:
functions of computer;
(iii) analyse the merits and
(i) Appreciation and
demerits of ICT;
application
(iv) appraise the challenges of
(ii) Types and functions
using the computer;
(iii) Merits and demerits

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(iv) Challenges (v) identify the different terms

used in ICT;
b. Terms (Internet, Intranet, (vi) evaluate the trends in ICT.
browsing, password, e-mail,
google, yahoo, search, Local
Area Network, etc.)

c. Activities:

(i) e-commerce
(ii) e-banking
(iii) e-business

16. Business Environment Candidates should be able to:

and Social Responsibility
(i) discuss the types of
(i) Legal, political, economic, business environment;
social, cultural, technological (ii) assess the role of social
environments, etc environment in the provision
(ii) Safe products, of safe products;
philanthropic and societal (iii) identify the different types
consideration of pollution and their
(iii) Types and implication of implications on businesses.
pollution (water, air, land,

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etc.)
(vi) assess the relevance of
regulatory agencies and acts
in the provision of safe goods
and drugs.

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 DISCLAIMER

The above topics are where all your JAMB

Commerce questions for this year will come from

but it does NOT say which ‘topic in particular’

and how many questions per topic.

You are advised to read according to this syllabus

and also study past questions on Commerce to

be well-prepared for the exam.

Speaking of which,

Would you like to download JAMB Commerce

past questions FREE OF CHARGE right now?

Click on the link below...

www.examministry.com