The Secretary-General of the Pan-African Writers Association, Dr Wale Okediran, urged stronger collaboration among stakeholders to sustain Nigeria’s publishing industry as the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA) marked its 60th anniversary.

Okediran made the call while delivering the keynote address at the NPA 2025 Annual Conference, Annual General Meeting, and 60th Anniversary in Ibadan.

He traced the evolution of publishing in Nigeria from the colonial era through the rise of indigenous firms to the current digital and non-traditional publishing space, noting that innovation had expanded access to books but also introduced quality-control challenges.

According to him, the rapid growth of self-publishing has increased creative opportunities but requires better industry standards to ensure professionalism and competitiveness.

“The future of publishing in Africa lies in collaboration among authors, publishers, regulators, and technology partners.

“Partnerships are critical to harnessing digital tools while protecting intellectual property,” Okediran said.
Earlier, the Chairman of the occasion, Deacon Solomon Adeleke, said publishers had played a key role in preserving intellectual property and boosting education through locally produced instructional materials.

Adeleke expressed concern over abrupt government policy changes, which he said often resulted in losses for publishers who had already invested in textbook production, urging regular consultation with the association before education policies or curricula are reviewed.

He also described piracy as a major threat to the industry, calling for stronger enforcement of existing copyright laws to protect publishers and authors and encourage creativity.

In a goodwill message, the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr John Asein, congratulated the association on its diamond jubilee and restated the commission’s commitment to fighting piracy.

Asein said the NCC had intensified public awareness programmes, strengthened regulatory frameworks, and scaled up operations of its Special Taskforce to curb illegal book production and distribution, in line with the Copyright Act 2022.

“The NCC stands ready to work closely with you to ensure a resilient, innovative, and globally competitive book industry for Nigeria.

“As you commemorate this 60-year legacy, I urge the association to continue championing excellence, embracing innovation, and fostering partnerships that will unlock new opportunities for growth,” Asein said.

The President and Chairman of Council of the NPA, Alhaji Lukman Dauda, said the association had continued to promote quality education through the provision of affordable instructional materials aligned with approved curricula.

He appealed to education authorities to review plans to scrap some school subjects abruptly, proposing a transition period of not less than two years to allow students and publishers to adjust to the changes.

Dauda suggested that implementation of the new curriculum should commence from the 2026/2027 academic session for Primary One, with other classes following progressively each year to ensure textbook availability.

“We hope this clarion call will receive the positive attention of the appropriate authorities.

“As practitioners in the education sector, our contributions will assist the administrators in the policy-making process for the benefit of all concerned,” he said.

Also, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, represented by the Acting Director-General NISLT, Dr Peter Oluwafisoye, said NPA should sustain efforts at making literacy and education accessible to Nigerians.

Similarly, the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, Dr Aisha Garba, represented by Mrs Zainab Abubakar, Deputy Director, Department of Public Communication, commended the association’s impact over the last 60 years.

She encouraged NPA to continue to adopt emerging technologies and trends such as its track and trace system.

The celebration featured awards for excellence and meritorious service to notable industry stakeholders, including Dr John Asein of the NCC, bookseller Dr Kolade Mosuro, and former NPA President Mr Samuel Kolawole.