UTME syllabus
JAMB Commerce syllabus
Every topic JAMB can set Commerce questions on, with what you should be able to do for each. Open a topic to see its contents and objectives.
What the syllabus aims to do
It prepares candidates to:
- acquire the basic knowledge of Commerce
- examine the relationship between Commerce and other related fields
- apply the principles of Commerce in the Nigerian economy
- appreciate dynamic and positive changes in commercial activities
Commerce
Contents
- Meaning of e-commerce/ e-business
- Meaning and scope
- Characteristics
- Functions
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- Identify the functions of e-commerce/ e-business
- differentiate between Commerce and other related subjects
- describe the characteristics of Commerce
- Identify the functions of Commerce
Occupation
Contents
- Meaning and importance
- Types (industrial, commercial and services)
- Factors that determine choice of occupation
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- State the importance of occupation
- Compare the different types of occupation
- Identify the factors determining the choice of occupation
Production
Contents
- Factors, characteristics and rewards (land, labour, capital and entrepreneur)
- Division of Labour and specialization
- Types (primary, secondary and tertiary)
- Relationship between production, specialization and exchange
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- identify the Factors of Production and their rewards
- distinguish between Division of Labour and Specialization
- classify the types of production
- State the relationship between production, specialization and exchange
Trade
Contents
- Home Trade
- Retail trade
- Types of retail trade
- Functions of retailers
- Factors to be considered in setting up retail trade
- Trends in retailing (branding, self-service, vending machines, the use of luncheon, fuel vouchers, etc)
- Advantages and disadvantages of retailers
- Reasons for success/failure of retail trade
- Wholesale trade
- Types of wholesalers (merchant, agent, general, etc)
- Channels of distribution
- Functions of wholesalers
- Advantages and disadvantages of wholesalers
- Retail trade
- Foreign trade
- Types of foreign trade
- Basic issues in foreign trade (balance of trade, balance of payments and counter trade)
- Procedures and documents used in export, import and entrepôt trade
- Barriers to international trade
- Tariffs and reasons for the imposition
- Tools for trade restriction and export promotion
- Role of Customs and Excise Authority, Ports Authority, etc. in foreign trade
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- compare the various types of retail trade
- identify the functions of retailers
- highlight the factors in setting up retail trade
- classify modern retailing practices
- identify the advantages and disadvantages of retail business
- explain the success/failure of retail trade
- classify the types of wholesalers
- identify the channels of distribution
- discuss the functions of wholesalers
- outline the merits and demerits of the middleman
- compare the various types of foreign trade
- analyse the basic issues in foreign trade
- explain the procedures and documents used in foreign trade
- identify the barriers to international trade
- state the various tariffs and reasons for their imposition
- identify the tools for trade restriction and export promotion
- appraise the role of government agencies in foreign trade
Purchase and Sale of Goods
Contents
- Procedure and documentation (enquiry, quotation, order, invoice, proforma invoice, statement of accounts, indent, consular invoice, bill of lading, certificate of origin, consignment note, etc.)
- Terms of trade (trade discount, quantity discount, cash discount, warranties, C.O.D., C.I.F., F.O.B., and E.O.E. etc)
- Terms of payments
- Cash – Spot/Prompt payment
- Credit
- Meaning
- Types and functions
- Merits and demerits
- Means of payments: Legal tender (bank notes and coins), cheques, standing order, bank draft, stamps, postal orders, money orders, bills of exchange, promissory note, mail transfer, traveler’s cheques, telegraphic transfer, e-payment, recharge card
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- examine the procedures and documents used in the purchase and sale of goods
- determine the terms of trade
- distinguish between cash and credit forms of payment
- explain the meaning and types of credit
- analyse the merits and demerits of credit transactions
- Identify the means of payment
Aids-to-trade
Contents
- Advertising
- Meaning and roles
- Types, media and methods
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Banking
- Types of bank
- Services
- Challenges
- E-banking
- Communication
- Process and procedure
- Types
- Trends
- Merits and demerits
- Barriers
- Insurance
- Types
- Principles
- Terms
- Importance
- Types of risk
- Tourism
- Meaning and forms
- Importance
- Agencies that promote tourism in Nigeria
- Challenges
- Tourist centres
- Transportation
- Mode
- Importance
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Warehousing
- Importance
- Types and functions
- Factors to be considered in siting a warehouse
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- Explain the meaning and role of advertising
- identify the different types of advertising, its media and methods
- analyse the advantages and disadvantages of advertising
- categorize the different types of bank
- assess the services rendered by banks
- identify the challenges facing banks
- explain e-banking
- assess the different stages in the communication process
- analyse the types of communication
- appraise the contributions of courier services, GSM, etc., to businesses
- state the merits and demerits of communication
- outline the barriers to communication
- describe the types of insurance
- apply the principles of insurance to life situations
- explain the terms in insurance
- state the importance of insurance
- identify the different types of risk in insurance
- explain the meaning and forms of tourism
- examine the importance of tourism
- identify the agencies that promote tourism in Nigeria
- analyse the challenges facing tourism in Nigeria
- identify the various tourist centres in Nigeria
- appraise the relevance of the various modes of transportation
- list the importance of transportation
- discuss the advantages and disadvantages of transportation
- highlight the importance of warehousing
- appraise the contributions of warehouses to businesses
- evaluate the factors that determine the siting of warehouses
Business Units
Contents
- Forms and features (Sole Proprietorship, Partnership, Limited Liability Companies, Public Corporations, Cooperative Societies, etc.)
- Registration of businesses
- Determination of choice of business units
- Dissolution and liquidation
- Merits and demerits
- Reasons for government ownership of public enterprises
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- identify the forms and features of business units
- analyse the procedures for registering businesses
- examine the factors which determine the choice of business units
- differentiate between dissolution and liquidation of business
- state the merits and demerits of business units
- State the reasons for government ownership of public enterprises
Financing Business
Contents
- Sources of finance (personal savings, sale of shares and bonds, loans, debentures, mortgage, bank overdraft, ploughing back of profit, credit purchase, leasing, etc.)
- Types of capital (share capital, capital owned, authorized capital, issued capital, called-up capital, paid-up capital, liquid capital, working capital and owners’ equity)
- Calculation of forms of capital, profits (gross and net) and turnover
- Problems of sourcing finance
- The role of Bureau de change in an economy
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- identify the various ways of financing a business
- discuss the different types of capital
- compute the different forms of capital, profits and turnover
- appraise the problems associated with sourcing finances for business
- assess the role of Bureau de change in an economy
Trade Associations
Contents
- Objectives and functions of trade and manufacturer’s associations (Cocoa Farmers’ Association, Garri Sellers’ Association, Poultry Farmers’ Association, etc.)
- Objectives and functions of Chambers of Commerce
- Forms of business combination/merger
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- discuss the objectives and functions of trade and manufacturer’s associations
- list the objectives and functions of Chambers of Commerce
- Explain the different forms of business combination/merger
Money
Contents
- Evolution
- Forms and qualities
- Functions
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- discuss the origin of money
- analyse the forms and qualities of money
- appraise the functions of money
Stock Exchange
Contents
- Importance and functions
- Types of securities (stocks, shares, bonds, debentures, etc)
- Procedure of transactions and speculations
- Second-Tier Securities Market, (listing requirements, types of companies for the market, advantages and operating regulations of the market.)
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- state the importance and functions of the Stock Exchange
- identify the different securities traded on the Stock Exchange
- analyse the procedure of transactions and speculations on the Stock Exchange
- appraise the advantages and operating regulations of the market
Elements of Business Management
Contents
- Functions (planning, organizing, staffing, coordinating, motivating, communicating, controlling etc.)
- Principles (span of control, unity of command, delegation of authority, etc.)
- Organizational structure (line, line and staff, functional, matrix and committee)
- Functional areas of business (production, marketing, finance and personnel)
- Business resources (man, money, materials, machines and opportunities/goodwill)
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- appraise the functions of management
- analyse the principles of management
- identify organizational structures
- assess the functional areas of business
- examine the business resources
Elements of Marketing
Contents
- Importance and Functions
- The marketing concept (consumer orientation, customer satisfaction, integrated marketing, etc)
- Marketing mix (product, price, place and promotion)
- Market Segmentation
- Public relations and Customer Service
- E-marketing
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- highlight the importance and functions of marketing
- discuss the marketing concept
- assess the elements of marketing mix
- explain market segmentation
- examine public relations and customer service
- explain e-marketing
Legal Aspects of Business
Contents
- Meaning and validity of a simple contract
- Agency, Sale of Goods Act and Hire Purchase Act
- Contract of employment
- Government regulations of business (registration of business, patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc)
- Consumer protection (Government legislation, Standards Organization, Trade Descriptions Act, Consumer Protection Council, NAFDAC, NDLEA, Customs and Excise, etc.)
- Regulatory agencies
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- analyse the elements and validity of a simple contract
- examine Agency, Sale of Goods Act and Hire Purchase Act
- assess the rights and obligations of employers and employees
- distinguish between patents, trademarks and copyrights
- identify the functions of consumerism
- assess the relevance of regulatory agencies and acts in the provision of safe goods and drugs
Commodity Exchange
Contents
- Meaning
- Types of tradable commodity (agricultural produce, solid minerals, oil and gas)
- Requirements for trading (grading system, warehousing, clearing system, standardizing)
- Methods of trading (open outcry, electronic mechanism)
- Benefits of commodity exchange
- Constraints to commodity trading
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- explain the meaning of commodity exchange
- highlight types of tradable commodity
- list the requirements for trading
- discuss methods of trading
- enumerate the benefits of commodity exchange
- analyse the constraints to commodity trading
Business Environment and Social Responsibility
Contents
- Legal, political, economic, social, cultural, technological environments, etc
- Safe products, philanthropic and societal consideration
- Types and implication of pollution (water, air, land, etc.)
Objectives: candidates should be able to
- discuss the types of business environment
- assess the role of social environment in the provision of safe products
- identify the different types of pollution and their implications on businesses
Practise every Commerce topic
JambCBT sorts its Commerce past questions by these syllabus topics, so you can practise one topic at a time and see which ones need more work.
2 free practice quizzes. No card needed.