Get Guardian on GoogleA student’s difficulty understanding a mathematics textbook provided the starting point for an idea that would eventually develop into CoursePro Africa, a Nigerian educational technology company working on the conversion of conventional academic materials into animated video books.
The idea dates back to 18 October 2018, when Elijah Effiong Amah, then an undergraduate mathematics student at Abia State University, Uturu, encountered difficulties understanding some abstract mathematical concepts, particularly in real analysis. He began considering whether animation and visual demonstrations could make subjects that were difficult to follow through written explanations easier to understand.
With encouragement from his late mother, Mrs Kate Micheal Edet, Amah began experimenting with educational video content through a YouTube channel initially dedicated to mathematics tutorials. The project gradually developed beyond its original subject area. After graduating in 2021, he continued exploring ways to apply the concept to other academic disciplines.
The initiative took another step in December 2023 when Imoh Davis Udofa joined the project. With a background in computing and internet service provision, Udofa contributed to discussions about the technical and organisational direction of the initiative. The idea subsequently moved towards formal business development, leading to the registration of CoursePro Africa Ltd on 28 November 2024.
The founding team later expanded to include Uchenna Denise Agukwu, a pharmacist who joined in August 2025 and subsequently assumed the position of chief executive officer in November 2025. The late Kate Micheal Edet is also recognised as a co-founder for her early support of the initiative.
At the centre of CoursePro Africa’s concept is the animated video book, a digital learning resource developed from conventional textbooks, lecture notes and other academic materials. Instead of relying exclusively on written explanations and static illustrations, the format uses narration, animation and visual demonstrations to present academic subjects.
Its potential applications vary across disciplines. A law student could follow an animated explanation of a legal principle, while a medical student could watch a visual representation of a biological process. Engineering and science topics could similarly be presented through animated demonstrations of structures, systems and processes.
The company’s proposed institutional model involves collaborating with tertiary institutions to develop video books from approved academic materials and make them available through institutional learning platforms. Lecturers and institutions would retain an academic role in determining the content, while CoursePro Africa would handle its conversion into animated learning resources.
The question underlying the project is whether the traditional textbook can be presented in a format that makes complex academic information easier for students to follow. CoursePro Africa’s work with animated video books represents one attempt to explore that possibility within African higher education.
