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The Rise, Challenges, and Future of Publishing in Nigeria

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Publishing Research Quarterly Aims and scope

Abstract

The publishing industry in Nigeria is one that has undergone different phases. The first phase was that of Oral Literature, where literature and story-telling were only communicated verbally. Presently, the publishing industry in Nigeria has grown beyond story-telling. It has evolved into a more dynamic form that is now internationally recognised. From 1986, when Nigerian author Wole Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature, to date, many factors have contributed to the growth of literary publishing in Nigeria. From local book festivals to international awards, despite the many challenges facing the country, such as political and economic instability, poverty, and unemployment just to mention a few, young people who are passionate about literature are choosing to write and publish their stories the way only they can and because of this, many writers of Nigerian origin are more prominent than ever before internationally.

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Notes

  1. Bade, “Oral and Written Literature in Nigeria,” 318 [1].

  2. Ibid.

  3. Aloko, History of Printing and Publishing in Nigeria, 2014 [2].

  4. Chukwuemeka, Book Publishing in Nigeria, 2004 [3].

  5. National Open University of Nigeria, Introduction to Literature 1, 67 [4].

  6. Ibid.

  7. National Open University of Nigeria, Introduction to Literature 1, 71, 72 [4].

  8. National Open University of Nigeria, Introduction to Literature 1, 76 [4].

  9. Ibid.

  10. Ibid.

  11. Ibid.

  12. Audrey, “A Brief History of Postcolonial Literature Part 1.” [5]

  13. Olamide, “Trends of Discourse.” [6].

  14. Ibid.

  15. Barclays, “Beyond Languages and Borders.” [7].

  16. Alexandra, “A wave of new Fiction.” [8].

  17. Ibid.

  18. Nkem, “10 Must Reads by Nigerian Authors for this year 2017,” [10]. https://zodml.org/.

  19. Alexandra, “A wave of new Fiction.” [8].

  20. Naomi, “The Fishermen.” [11].

  21. Alexandra, “A wave of new Fiction.” [8].

  22. Sarah, “We need a black girl fantasy movie every month,” The Guardian, March 10, 2018 [12].

  23. Nkem, “5 Interesting Non-fiction Books by Nigerian Authors.” Zaccheus Onumba DibiaezueMemorial Libraries, September 26, 2017. https://zodml.org/blog/5-interesting-non-fiction-books-nigerian-authors#.Wuh-TqovzIW [10].

  24. Alison, "African Booker' shortlist offers an alternative view of continent," The Guardian, 1 May 2012 [13].

  25. Myne, “Social media and the future of books in Nigeria,” Vanguard, May 15, 2011 [14].

  26. Ibrahim, “Is Publishing in Nigeria on the Rise?”, Daily Trust. https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/amplite/is-publishing-in-nigeria-on-the-rise.html [15].

  27. Ibid.

  28. Ibid.

  29. Ibid.

  30. Christie, “Nigerian book festival you shouldn’t miss,” CPAfrica [16].

  31. Muhtar, “65 Million Nigerians are Illiterate—UNESCO.” [18].

  32. Ibid.

  33. The Lumina foundation’s Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa.

  34. Adaobi, “The Secret of Nigerian Book Sales” The New Yorker, Oct 1, 2015 [19].

  35. Christopher, “Book Piracy in Nigeria: Issues and Strategies.” 396 [20].

  36. Adegbola, “Book Publishers want more funding for NCC.” [21].

  37. Obidiegwu , “Longman cries out over increase in book piracy.” [22].

  38. Ibrahim, “Effects of Book Piracy on Publishing in Nigeria.” [23].

  39. Ibid.

  40. The Lumina Foundation. “About the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature.” [24].

  41. Anote, “Book Industry reels in debt has publishers, booksellers bicker.” [25].

  42. Ibid.

  43. Sede, “Of course, we have bookstores in Nigeria, but they are for the lucky few.” [26].

  44. Consultation with Muhtar Bakare (Publisher), April 27, 2018 [27].

  45. Consultation with Deji Abodunde (Writer), May 3, 2018.

  46. Consultation with Muhtar Bakare (Publisher), April 27, 2018 [27].

  47. Consultation with Deji Abodunde (Writer), May 3, 2018.

  48. Consultation with Muhtar Bakare (Publisher), April 27, 2018 [27].

  49. Consultation with Deji Abodunde (Writer), May 3, 2018.

  50. Consultation with Deji Abodunde (Writer), May 3, 2018.

  51. Consultation with Muhtar Bakare (Publisher), April 27, 2018 [27].

  52. Ibid.

  53. Ibid.

References

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  2. Aloko A. History of printing and publishing in Nigeria. 2014. https://www.goodbooksafrica.com/2014/03/history-of-printing-and-publishing-in.html. Accessed 24 Oct 2017.

  3. Chukwuemeka I. Book publishing in Nigeria. September 2004. https://www.sabre.org/publications/publishing-in-nigeria.pdf. Accessed 24 Oct 2017.

  4. National Open University of Nigeria. Introduction to Literature 1. https://nouedu.net/sites/default/files/2017-03/Eng%20113%20-%20Introduction%20to%20Nigerian%20Literature%20I.pdf. Accessed 24 Oct 2017.

  5. Audrey G. A brief history of postcolonial literature part 1. April 19, 2015. https://blog.bookstellyouwhy.com/a-brief-history-of-postcolonial-literature-part-i. Accessed 30 Oct 2017.

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  12. Sarah H. We need a black girl fantasy movie every month. The Guardian. March 10, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/mar/10/tomi-adeyemi-interview-children-of-blood-and-bone-sarah-hughes. Accessed 5 Apr 2017.

  13. Alison F. African booker' shortlist offers an alternative view of continent. The Guardian, 1 May 2012. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/may/01/african-booker-caine-prize-shortlist. Accessed 15 Dec 2017.

  14. Myne W. Social media and the future of books in Nigeria. Vanguard. May 15, 2011. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/05/social-media-and-the-future-of-book-in-nigeria/. Accessed 15 Dec 2017.

  15. Ibrahim A. Is publishing in Nigeria on the rise? Daily Trust. https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/amplite/is-publishing-in-nigeria-on-the-rise.html. Accessed 24 Jan 2018.

  16. Christie U. Nigerian book festival you shouldn’t miss. CPAfrica. 2015. https://www.cp-africa.com/2015/04/17/nigerian-book-festivals-shouldnt-miss/. Accessed 24 Jan 2018.

  17.  Olayebi B. Email message, May 7, 2018.

  18. Muthar B. 65 Million Nigerians are illiterate—UNESCO. Vanguard. December 17, 2015. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/12/65-million-nigerians-are-illiterates-unesco/. Accessed 10 Apr 2017.

  19. Adaobi N. The secret of Nigerian book sales. The New Yorker. 2015. https://www.newyorker.com/business/currency/the-secret-of-nigerian-book-sales. Accessed 10 Apr 2018.

  20. Christopher N. Book piracy in Nigeria: issues and strategies. J Acad Librariansh. 2014. 40(1):394–398.

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  25. Anote A. Book industry reels in debt has publishers, booksellers bicker. The Guardian. April 2, 2017. https://guardian.ng/art/book-industry-reels-in-debt-as-publishers-booksellers-bicker/. Accessed 17 Apr 2018.

  26. Sede A. Of course, we have bookstores in Nigeria, but they are for the lucky few. The Guardian. Jan 31, 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/31/bookshops-nigeria-chimamanda-ngozi-adichie. Accessed 17 Apr 2018.

  27. Muhtar B. Email message, April 27, 2018.

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  1. Lagos, Nigeria

    Titilayo Sanyaolu

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Sanyaolu, T. The Rise, Challenges, and Future of Publishing in Nigeria. Pub Res Q 35, 242–257 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12109-019-09649-5

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