RIGHTS DEALS 1

Special Issue on African Publishing

NAIROBI, KENYA JUNE 2019

SPECIAL ISSUE: AFRICA RISING Experts at the IPA’s second seminar on African publishing discuss opportunities and issues in the book business.

View from Nairobi Puku Foundation Audio from Accra Words and Music

Kenya Publishers Association South Africa’s bid to save Telling African stories ‘in Twins in Nigeria create president Lawrence Njagi on endangered languages with our own voices’ at Ghana’s Publiseer to help creators challenges ahead. Page 4 » children’s books. Page 8 » AkooBooks. Page 10 » monetize content. Page 18 »

Subscribe FREE: Sign up to receive Publishing Perspectives’ daily email news at publishingperspectives.com/subscribeJUNE 2019 2 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

From the Editor: Listening for the Future

n creating the agenda for the International from Lawrence Njagi about the challenges IPublishers Association’s (IPA) “Africa Ris- to be discussed, and from Gbadega Adedapo ing” seminar in Nairobi, IPA vice president about the Lagos Action Plan’s potential to Publishing Perspectives is the leading source of Bodour Al Qasimi and her colleagues at the address them. information about the global book publishing Kenya Publishers Association are guided We have even more coverage of this business. Since 2009, we have been publishing by a bold mission statement for the Africa seminar’s speakers and issues online at daily email editions with news and features Seminars series: to transform the future of Af- publishingperspectives.com, where we re- from across the book world. rican publishing. port on the world publishing industry five Our mission is to help build and contribute With its 81 member-associations of days a week. Our content is always free of to the international publishing community by publishers from 69 nations, the IPA, based charge, and we hope you’ll read us. offering information that publishing and media in Geneva, has a lot of resources to bring to With this magazine, we wish you a professionals need to connect, cooperate, and the table. And yet, as is easily seen in a look meaningful and thoughtful experience, and work together year-round and across borders. at the Nairobi program, the key intent is to we’re glad to join you here in Nairobi to In addition to our daily online coverage, bring forward the resources of Africa and its share with our worldwide readership the we also offer an online monthly rights edition, many publishing communities. important conversations we’re all listening as well as print magazines at special events Publishing Perspectives is the news medi- to, the sound of “Africa Rising.” • including the London Book Fair and the um of the international book trade industry, Frankfurt Book Fair. established 10 years ago by Frankfurt Book Founded by the German Book Office New Fair New York. And we’re pleased to offer Porter Anderson York and now a project of the Frankfurt Book you this magazine created expressly for the Editor-in-Chief Fair New York, Publishing Perspectives works IPA Africa Seminar series because we, like Publishing Perspectives with our colleagues in Frankfurt and the fair’s the IPA, are eager to bring more interna- international offices, as well as IPR License, to tional attention to publishing in Africa. share with you the latest publishing trends and The opportunity to produce this collec- opportunities, people to know, companies to tion of articles has given us the chance to watch, and more. listen to South Africa’s Elinor Sisulu and her Puku Foundation colleagues speak in such beautiful indigenous languages—at least one of them direly endangered. We’ve heard from twin Nigerian entre- SUBCRIBE TO PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES preneurs Chidi and Chika Nwaogu who are making a go of their third company, Publi- Receive our FREE email news edition directly to seer, at age 29. your inbox, Monday to Friday. Sign up at: We’ve learned about copyright chal- lenges from the Arab League’s Maha publishingperspectives.com/subscribe Bakheet, about audiobooks in Africa from Ama Dadson at Ghana’s AkooBooks Audio,

PUBLISHER : Hannah Johnson EDITOR-IN-CHIEF : Porter Anderson ON THE COVER: Delegates to the International Publishers Association’s first seminar on African publishing, PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES which took place in Lagos, Nigeria on May 9, 2018. (Image: Nabs Ahmedi / Emirates a project of Frankfurt Book Fair New York Publishers Association) 30 Irving Place, 4th Floor New York, NY 10003 From left: Dr. Timothy Olatayo; Bibi Bakare Yusuf (Founder of Cassava Republic, Nigeria); United States Adepoju Tolulope Medinah (Rasmed Publishers, Nigeria); Bodour Al Qasimi (Kalimat Group, UAE / VP of IPA); Bayo Agunbiade; Lola Shoneyin (Founder of Ouida Books, Nigeria); Taiwo CONNECT WITH US ONLINE: Akanni (Head of Corporate Sales, Rasmed Publications International). publishingperspectives.com facebook.com/pubperspectives twitter.com/pubperspectives

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PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES IPA AFRICA SEMINAR 3

From the Organizers: International Africa Rising Publishers Association hen Publishing Perspectives asked Africa’s Time to Shine WIPA president Hugo Setzer and vice president Bodour Al Qasimi for brief com- As we enter a new phase in the glob- ments about this second African publishing al publishing industry’s development—in seminar, we heard back from them a clear which future readers are increasingly likely message: that it’s for Africa to decide what’s to be found in emerging publishing mar- ahead and how to get there. kets—this is the African publishing indus- try’s time to shine. Africa has some of the Hugo Setzer fastest mobile and internet connectivity The International Publishers Asso- growth rates in the world and nearly 60 per- ciation (IPA) is the world’s largest “I am very excited at the opportunity cent of its population is below 24 years old. federation of national, regional and to take part in our IPA Africa Seminar in If proper investments are made in liter- specialist publishers’ associations. Its Nairobi, because it will allow us to do what acy and education, and there is an enabling membership comprises 81 organi- we do best: building bridges, learning, and economic environment for jobs and invest- sations from 69 countries in Africa, sharing experiences with colleagues from all ment, Africa’s youth blue can be a catalyst Asia, Australasia, Europe and the over the world, especially in a region with for the future of African publishing and ac- Americas. such a huge potential. celerated social and economic development. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, “I look forward to hearing enlightening This year’s seminar will attract more IPA represents the interests of the discussions and learning from my colleagues than 600 attendees from over 50 countries publishing industry in international about the African publishing industry.” to discuss sectoral innovation and revital- fora and wherever publishers’ inter- ization. The seminar will feature keynotes ests are at stake. Bodour Al Qasimi by globally renowned authors, decision makers, and industry thought leaders, in “The IPA Africa Seminar series is an im- addition to panel sessions and workshops internationalpublishers.org portant catalyst for the publishing industry on the most pressing challenges facing the in a continent full of potential and untapped African publishing industry. • talent. “I am sure the conversations that will take place will energize the publishing sec- tor in Africa, and will be a step forward to transform the African publishing industry “Africa Rising” is the second seminar into a truly global leader. on African publishing organized by the “I am delighted to meet up with all our International Publishers Association. It Kenya Publishers delegates for the seminar to discuss near- takes place on June 14-15, 2019 in Nairobi, Association term impact actions, and I’m looking for- Kenya, in partnership with the Kenya ward to hearing ideas and suggestions from Publishers Association. all the speakers and participants.” The IPA’s inagural seminar on African From the Program Notes publishing was held in May 2018 in Lagos, Nigeria, in partnership with withe Nigerial In just one year, the seminar has evolved Publishers Association. into a continent-wide, multi-sectoral plat- form for creative thinking, collaboration, More informaton can be found online at and action. internationalpublishers.org. What differentiates this seminar from Kenya Publishers’ Association is the other events is its focus on near term im- umbrella body for book publishers in pact. This focus—on moving from words to Kenya. This association encourages action—is captured in the seminar-specific the widest possible spread of print- action plans which gain consensus on key ed and digital books in Kenya and industry challenges and identify scalable pi- beyond. Apart from promoting and lot projects as possible solutions. protecting by all lawful means the in- After the event an action plan com- terests of the publishing industry in mittee implements pilot projects to present Kenya, the association also seeks to their learnings at the next seminar. In this protect its members by dealing collec- way, industry stakeholders learn and grow tively with problems which can best together by being exposed to innovation, be so dealt with. replicable solutions for the African publish- ing industry’s most pressing challenges. Through its seminars, action plans, kenyapublishers.org partnerships and collaborations, the Inter- national Publishers Association is promot- ing progress and building a community of doers that are transforming the future of African publishing.

JUNE 2019 4 KENYA

Five Questions for Lawrence Njagi, Chair of the Kenya Publishers Association

Lawrence Njagi, a publisher and advocate for the country’s local publishing industry, looks at agenda-setting issues in African publishing.

African countries will follow suit. On taxation, we’ve engaged our govern- ments to try to get VAT removed from books. This is work in progress. As for the NGOs, we’ve insisted that they look at the long-term effects of their activities. We think it’s possible to achieve these NGOs’ goals while promoting local publishing. And as for piracy, we’re working closely with government anti-counterfeit boards and copyright boards to detect and prosecute of- fenders. Marketing campaigns have also been created in a few countries. PP: Is it possible to say that educational publishing at this point needs more help and support than trade publishing, or do both of these book sectors face serious challenges of their own? LN: Both need serious support. Educa- tional publishing, being the mainstay of most Lawrence Njagi (Image: Nabs Ahmedi) African publishers, requires support with rele- vant legislation to ensure that it thrives. Trade publishing require urgent promo- By Porter Anderson critical to have book policies that successive tion to ensure that Africans read for genuine governments use in administration of books acquisition of knowledge, for entertainment, and learning materials. and for keeping abreast of world happenings. he hosting Kenya Publishers Association The second problem is with government A lot of Africans, unfortunately, read only to Tfor this year’s “Africa Rising” seminar in taxation of books. Taxing information is like pass examinations. This can only be reversed Nairobi is chaired by Lawrence Njagi, manag- shooting yourself in the foot: it limits the if we make available and promote more trade ing director of Mountain Top Publishers. spread of knowledge and ensures that the poor and general books. An experienced lobbyist for Kenyan pub- get only poorer. A lot of African countries are PP: Can you give us an impression of how lishing, Njagi’s work has contributed to the now levying VAT on books. the action plan started in the first IPA Africa growth of the Nairobi International Book Fair, Third, there are quite a number of Seminar in Lagos last year? Are you pleased now a self-sustaining event for East and Cen- non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that with where that work is going? tral Africa. He sits on educational boards both are now taking on the role of publisher, and LN: The Lagos Action Plan [read more on in government and private-sectors programs, offering various governments books at highly page 16] is a major departure from the kind of and is leading the formation of the Publishers subsidized prices. These NGOs don’t take into workshops and seminars that have been held Association of East Africa. account the initial costs of book production, on African soil in the past. A lot of times, those He is the treasurer of the African Publish- and also don’t offer solutions when they aban- workshops yield very little in terms of tangible ers Network (APNET); director of the Kenyan don a program, moving on to other fields. This pro-active actions that remedy problems. A reproduction rights organization (RRO) Kop- brings into question the issue of sustainability, lot of times, such events end up as “talk shops” iken; and directs the National Book Develop- and most governments are exposed—not least with very little workable solutions. ment Council of Kenya. because they frequently will have killed the lo- The Lagos Action Plan, which was as a In looking to Njagi for his executive view- cal publishing industry. result of the IPA Lagos seminar, is a clear de- point on African publishing, we begin by ask- And fourth is piracy and copyright theft. parture from this. Follow-up meetings have ing him to name several top-line challenges for With digital advancements, it has become been held, and I’m happy that concrete actions him and his colleagues. He names four: incon- quite easy to pirate books, especially popular taken will be presented at the Nairobi seminar, sistent government policies, value added tax textbooks, and get them onto a market at very so stay tuned. (VAT) on books, competition from non-gov- reduced prices. This of course denies revenue PP: Lastly, if one major thing comes out ernmental organizations, and copyright in- to both the author and the publisher. of the seminar in June—one big change or de- fringement and piracy. Publishing Perspectives: How far velopment or agreement or new plan—what Lawrence Njagi: First, a lack of con- do you feel the African industry has come in would you like it to be? sistent book policies that govern how books addressing some of these issues? LN: If we can provide an environment and instructional materials are developed and LN: Some countries like Kenya now have conducive to the promotion of publishing and procured. a fully developed comprehensive “instruction- the protection of the industry from adverse In a lot of African countries, textbooks al materials policy,” and I believe this will very policies, we’ll all have a bright future, one that form about 90 percent of all books procured much help sanitize the issue of book develop- we can confidently bequeath to our children by government. Governments also form about ment and provision. I’m aware that APNET and therefore ensure the security of publish- 80 percent of the market. This makes it very has prioritized this, and I believe a lot of other ing, literature, and reading for generations. •

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES ﺟﻤﻌﻴﺔ اﻟﻨﺎﺷﺮﻳﻦ اﻣﺎراﺗﻴﲔ

EMIRATES PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION

GLOBAL PIONEERS FOR EMIRATI PUBLISHING

To know more about the publishing industry in the United Arab Emirates contact us at: 6 BOOK DATA

Quantifying Markets: Nielsen’s Andre Breedt on Industry Research in Africa

Currently, South Africa is the only African country where Nielsen tracks book sales, but plans are underway to expand data and sales research across the continent.

By Porter Anderson Africa appear to have peaked in 2010, though expects Nielsen to first be looking at Nigeria, in 2015 a bump occurred, and since then sales Kenya, and Tanzania, one of the primary crite- have declined somewhat but not precipitously. ria for selection being which markets are orga- any in the world book publishing busi- One way Breedt says he looks at the coop- nized to a degree that their retailers, publish- Mness are accustomed to Andre Breedt erative environment needed is “as something ers, and associations can work together. arriving on a conference stage with layer after I’d describe as a feedback loop more than an “For now, I think it’s more like a research layer of data on a given market or region. exchange of data,” he says. “When you start, document than a plan,” Breedt says about the When he speaks on publishing’s ecosys- you realize that one of the most valuable side pathway to getting sales research into the Afri- tem, however, at the International Publishers effects is that you have a good centralized can markets outside South Africa. Association’s (IPA) “Africa Rising” seminar in metadata database of all the available books in And it’s in Nairobi that the seed can cer- Nairobi, hosted by the Kenya Publishers Asso- your market, because you’re measuring every- tainly be planted to get the dream of a multiple ciation, Breedt will be addressing something thing that’s out,” which means that retailers, quantified and analyzed African book mar- he rarely talks to a Western audience about at libraries, and consumers can more easily find kets into place. The leadership on this, Andre a publishing conference or trade show: why the books they’re interested in. Breedt says, likely will lie with the publishers’ extensive industry data is important. Breedt says that Nigeria has special chal- associations, making the IPA “Africa Rising” In a conversation with Publishing Perspec- lenges, in that it’s a very large market. He seminar a great place to start. • tives, Breedt says, “As you know, we measure book markets all around the world. In Africa, we actually only measure the product in South Africa. We’re in some early discussions with the Kenya Publishers Association and some others, to see if there’s more that can be done.” Retail sales data collection systems aren’t yet dominant in many African book markets. “I’d say more markets don’t have a measure than do,” says Breedt. “It isn’t only the African continent that lacks measurement.” Setting up systems to measure book sales can be difficult, Breedt says. “You need the volume of the retail trade and the publishing trade. You also need the centralized metadata database. What you really need is consensus among the organizations to work together to everybody’s benefit. That’s actually the hardest part,” he says.

Nielsen Data on South Africa Andre Breedt (Image: Roger Tagholm)

Breedt is South African, as it happens, and he says that the metrics in that market are “re- ally well up and running,” in partnership with a local firm that supports Nielsen’s work there. Some of what Breedt will show the audi- ence in Nairobi illustrates the kind of compar- ative clarity he can get on the South African market, including a comparative look at the levels of revenue being achieved there by the Top 10 publishers operating there across four years, from 2015 to 2018—from one publisher’s low in 2016 of under 40 million rand (US$2.8 million) to a high in 2015 for another publish- er of 120 million rand (US$8.3 million). In another glimpse of the data coming from the South African market, we see 41.3 percent of sales going to adult trade nonfic- tion in 2018, down from 45 percent in 2014. On the other hand, you can see adult fiction holding steady at between 20 and 21 percent for all five years. Annual book sales in South Book sales by genre in South Africa from Nielsen Book (Image: Nielsen Book)

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES RIGHTS DEALS 7

افتح كتاباً. تفتح أذهاناً. OPEN BOOKS. OPEN MINDS.

SharjahWBC www.sharjahwbc.com JUNE 2019 8 CHILDREN’S BOOKS

South Africa’s Puku Foundation Creates Children’s Books To Save Languages

In South Africa, Puku gathers writers, designers, and speakers of endangered languages together to create children’s books that preserve their linguistic traditions.

only gives me joy, but it pleases me to know my roots.” The Setswana group’s Gontse Chaane talks of how developing children’s literature in her language is “about getting children to believe in themselves and reach for their dreams.” Author Johannes Majiedt speaks of being in- volved in Puku’s workshop “to write my first children’s book” in Afrikaans. “It has always been my dream.” 2 The Biggest Challenge: Funding

The workshop we see captured on video had funding from South Africa’s Swiss Embas- sy and the Pretoria-based National Heritage Council. Tembelani Maso, the agency’s fund- ing coordinator, speaks to the fact that, “These projects come with economic spinoff, and at the end it brings back our pride as a nation.” And yet, Sisulu tells Publishing Perspectives, the struggle to develop adequate and depend- 1 3 able financial support is the main hurdle. “Our experience with the government,” she says, “is that they approve of what we’re By Porter Anderson little children’s literature in the endangered doing. Politicians say, ‘What you’re doing is languages, and people are being paid too little fabulous and our constitution promotes the to work in those languages.” languages.’ There’s praise, and they talk about here are only four people left alive who This is where Ouma Katrina comes in. us in their policy statements. Tspeak the N/uu language in South Afri- “She is the queen of a small group of people “But when it comes to actually investing,” ca, and they’re members of one family. The called the N/uu,” Sisulu says. “We’re working she says, the money isn’t there. matriarch is Ouma Katrina, 86 years old. Her with her” and her family “to make the first chil- “And without actual investment, the work daughter is Lena du Plessis. Her granddaughter dren’s books in the N/uu language.” is volunteerism. Many of the people in these is Claudia Snyman. And little N/aungkusi Sny- languages, when you think about it, are mate- man is Ouma Katrina’s great-granddaughter. Puku’s Workshops: Gathering rially deprived” because some of these languag- Elinor Sisulu, executive director of South Linguistic Diversity es are spoken in the poorer parts of the region. Africa’s Puku Children’s Literature Founda- “You can’t expect them to work as volunteers. tion is creating children’s literature that cap- One way the Puku Children’s Literature It’s actually not quite fair.” tures some of the dying languages of Africa, Foundation approaches content creation in Literature specialists in many parts of the like N/uu. these languages is by organizing workshops world will understand immediately what she’s “It’s much easier to learn a language when that bring together writers, designers, and lin- saying. When economic times tighten, she you’re a child than later,” Sisulu tells Publishing guists to work as teams in generating indige- says, “Grants to support social and cultural Perspectives in an interview. Many indigenous nous-language content. work are the first thing to go.” languages today in Africa are threatened by the In addition to Ouma Katrina and her fam- She takes a breath. “And we’re struggling. major commercially dominant tongues. ily, others brought into the workshop by Puku We’re constantly looking for support for our “The endangered languages,” Sisulu tells are writers and editors in the Nama, Setswana, work, and especially for Pukupedia,” the foun- us, “are those spoken by the bushmen. And the and Afrikaans language groups. In a video ex- dation’s growing online reference work that government of one of South Africa’s provinc- plaining how Puku achieves its mission, Sisulu gathers books created for children in endan- es, the Northern Cape, where most of the en- says that one effort of the foundation’s work gered languages of Africa. It’s called Pukupedia dangered-language speakers are, is concerned is gathering catalogs of what children’s work “because puku means book in one of our lan- and working with us in developing a strategy actually is available: a database is needed, she guages,” Sisulu says. “We’re hoping to get more to produce children’s books in those languages says, “because you can’t build a reading culture support for that.” • to ensure their survival.” if you don’t know what you have” in the way of It’s not just endangered languages that content already available. need help, Sisulu says. “Even some of the big- Author Dina Christiaan says in the vid- Pictured above: 1. Ouma Katrina (Image: ger languages, the most widely spoken lan- eo that being a writer in Nama “helps me as Puku Foundation); 2. Elinor Sisulu (Image: guages, may not yet be fully threatened, but a woman to empower myself through teach- Goosebumps Productions); 3. At a Puku they’re receiving the impact of the hegemony ing others and developing my skills as a Nama children’s book workshop (Image: Puku of English. They’re being eroded. There’s too woman … Being part of the Nama tribe not Foundation)

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES BOOK FAIRS 9

African Publishers Network Frankfurter Goes Global in Frankfurt Buchmesse Invitation Program By Hannah Johnson rican publishers” in Frankfurt. The fair was also the launch point for AP- The Invitation Program offers small NET’s “Africa Day” event, which Oopong says independent publishers from Africa, or the first time this year, the African Pub- “brought together some African and foreign the Arab world, Asia, Central and Flishers Network (APNET) will organize a participants.” Eastern Europe, Latin America and collective stand at the Frankfurter Buchmesse This is one of the initiatives Oopong plans the Caribbean the chance to attend the with the goal of fostering more international to continue in 2019 at APNET’s collective world’s biggest book fair. connections for African publishers and pub- stand in Frankfurt. At the second “Africa Day” Carefully selected participants lishing associations. event, Oopong says that APNET chairman receive travel expenses and accom- “One of the cardinal objectives of AP- Samuel Kolawole will share news and insights modation, as well as the use of an NET,” acting executive director Ernest Op- on African publishing with foreign publishers. exhibition stand in Frankfurt at no pong tells Publishing Perspectives, “is to promote The stand will also serve as a place where Afri- charge. Funding is provided jointly by book trade for African publishers within and can publishers can hold business meetings. Frankfurter Buchmesse and the Ger- outside Africa. Building up the presence of African pub- man Federal Foreign Office. “The network has had some success stories lishers at the world’s largest and most inter- Participants will also attend a but more work needs to be done as publishing national book fair is one of the ways APNET two-and-a-half-day seminar before expands with untapped opportunities,” says is working toward its goal of supporting the the book fair, which not only prepares Oopong. development of African publishing, though them for the event but also provides One of those successes, says Oopong, Oopong says more needs to be done. them with wide-ranging information was his participation in the Frankfurter Bu- “African publishers have made headway on the German book market. chmesse’s Invitation Program in 2018, which with the publishing of quality books which are covers the costs for independent publishers useful for both African and international mar- www.buchmesse.de/invitation- from developing book markets to attend and kets,” he says. “However, there has been unsat- programme exhibit at the fair. He says APNET’s presence isfactory exposure or visibility of such books to “served as a converging business point for Af- the international book market.” •

JUNE 2019 10 GHANA

Audiobooks in West Africa: AkooBooks’ Ama Dadson Sees Big Opportunities

Adapting to consumer interests and regional dynamics, AkooBooks Audio CEO Ama Dadson is dedicated to creating African audiobooks for African listeners.

AkooBooks CEO Ama Dadson, left, with Elliot Agyare, CEO of Smartline Publishers and president of the Ghana Book Publishers Association

By Porter Anderson end. Also, we’re looking for data on preferenc- rica, there’s the challenge faced by the busy ur- es, narrators, and genres. ban working class in many of our high-traffic Last year, I did a consumer survey among cities: they spend hours commuting to work s the Frankfurter Buchmesse prepares the 10,000 students on campus at the Universi- each day, either walking or by public transport, Aits new Frankfurt Audio dedicated area ty of Ghana. Among the 200-odd respondents, and are unable to read during such commutes. at this year’s fair (October 16–20) and the ac- 57 percent had never downloaded or listened Audiobooks can be extremely convenient for companying Frankfurt Audio Summit, one of to an audiobook. Out of the 43 percent who them and a way to use their time profitably, the exhibitors you’ll be able to find involved is had, only 10 percent listed the audiobooks keep them enthralled, and escape from the Ghana-based publisher AkooBooks Audio. they’d read as by African writers. chaos for a little while. The rise of audiobook downloads and This contrasted with the 60 percent who PP: What’s selling best? Any genres that streaming is a major publishing story, and the had downloaded ebooks by African authors stand out more than others? trend can be seen in large and small book mar- and 80 percent of respondents who said they’d AD: The student survey indicates that au- kets across the globe. spent no money on audiobooks in the past diobook interest closely follows the trends in In our exchange with AkooBooks Audio year—and cited the very limited choice of Afri- founding CEO Ama Dadson, we started by can audiobooks as a barrier. asking just how popular audiobooks are in her We’re currently growing by word of region. mouth. Most people hear of audiobooks from Ama Dadson: Not much in the way their friends. “Audiobooks of statistics from Africa yet. We’re hoping to change that. Attracting African Consumers to appeal to Africans Mobile platforms offer new sources of Audiobooks digital data to inform decision-making. We’ll because we tell share this data with African publishers and Publishing Perspectives: When writers to help them make the right choices consumers respond well to audiobooks in Af- African stories in for future catalogues. rica, what sort of factors do they seem to value Our key performance indicators for our most? In the States and the UK, many audio- our own voices.” audiobooks include relevance, as in how many book fans say they like listening to audiobooks users start listening to an audiobook; drop-off because they can do other things—household rates, meaning how many users stop listen- chores or driving to work, for example. Is that Ama Dadson ing to an audiobook; and finish rate, which of the kind of input you get, too? Ghana course is how many users finish a book to the AD: Yes, convenience is a big plus. In Af-

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES AUDIOBOOKS 11

and get a catalogue to the market. We’re look- diobook company at the Frankfurt fair. It’s “Achieving goals ing for long-term investors and also offering such a wonderful opportunity to give our visi- attractive royalty-share models that will incen- tors exciting opportunities to listen to African and success are tivize publishers to contribute to the costs of stories in our listening station at Frankfurt. audio production. We’ll launch our fabulous new children’s important to young We also need to have flexible payment op- audiobook, Suma Went Walking: A Pan-African tions for a wide range of consumers. Many of Symphonic Story, by my mother, Nana Dadson. Africans, and with our consumers don’t use credit cards and pre- We’ll launch it in six languages—English, Twi, fer ‘mobile money’ or have irregular patterns Ga, French, German, and Mandarin. audiobooks, we of salary payments and are reluctant to enter Master flutist Dela Botri from Ghana, the subscriptions. This is a challenge for us and composer for the Suma Went Walking audio- our app developers. book music, is a genius with the Atentenben offer a solution flute, xylophone, kora, and firikiwa—all key Focus on African Stories instruments featured in the story. He’s accom- that will help them panying me to Frankfurt and will be manning PP: What’s your outlook for audiobooks the stand with me and plans to hold music slay their goals like in Africa for the next 5–10 years? demo sessions and practical lessons for chil- AD: We want to bridge the reading gap dren and adults on how to play the Atenten- superheroes and with AkooBooks. Audiobooks appeal to Afri- ben flute. It’s a beautiful instrument made of cans because we tell African stories in our own bamboo similar to a recorder, and it’s used to make them more voices, speaking to a part of us that not only represent the main character in the story Suma. identifies with storytelling but also bonds with We also plan to hold a couple of “African it as it reminds us of folklore and oral tradi- Story Time” sessions for children using smart productive.” tions that are slowly dying. speakers and entertain them with African sto- We’re dedicated to finding indigenous ries and music and have some giveaways of the Ama Dadson narrators who can accurately portray African Atetenben flute. So, there’s a lot for visitors to Ghana voices, characters, and experiences. Akoo- look forward to. • Books Audio promotes audio literacy and pi- lots it in local languages, bringing a wealth of ideas and experiences to people who are illiter- African ebooks: fiction, romance, and self-de- ate in English. We can attract many consum- velopment audiobooks top the list, followed by ers who might not consider themselves to be comedy. Surprisingly, sci-fi was at the bottom, readers. followed by nonfiction. I can’t wait to intro- AkooBooks employs acting talent from AkooBooks Audio duce our readers to fabulous writers such as theater and film for audiobooks, providing Nnedi Okorafor, whose audiobooks aren’t yet new work and income for African actors. We available in our market here. also provide new skills for the sound engineers PP: What type of format is preferred? and other experts needed for specialized tech- AD: Downloads and streaming—with mo- nical audio production. Within two years, we bile phones being by far the most commonly aim to be the largest single employer of voice used tool. Audible from Amazon and Google talent in West Africa. Play are the top sources for audiobooks cited. We’re excited about the growing use of There are a small number of imported audio- smart speakers and voice assistants. Akoo- books available on CD in the bookstores. Books Audio will be at the forefront of uti- The idea for AkooBooks Audio began PP: How does pricing go for an audiobook lizing voice interaction and machine-learning in 2004, when founding CEO Ama in your market, on average? technology to connect African books and au- Dadson’s mother Nana Dadson, a AD: As there are no local audiobook sell- thors to new readers worldwide. children’s book author, lost her sight. ers, consumers have to buy audiobooks at in- Young Africans are fascinated by trends Ama started African Audio Publish- ternational prices. We price our audiobooks and building community. We believe that ers, a books-on-cassette tape service very competitively at a retail price equivalent they’ll jump onto the habit once they know for distributing African books to the to US$5 to $25 on our platform. about it and there’s sufficient variety. Achiev- blind and visually impaired. Moving to a subscription model will help ing goals and success are important to young With the explosion of African with affordability, and affordable pricing is the Africans, and with audiobooks, we offer a writing talent and the advent of new chief factor cited by customers in determining solution that will help them slay their goals like digital technologies for distribution how we can make buying audiobooks invalu- superheroes and make them more productive. and mobile payment options, came able to our readers. the opportunity to offer new digital PP: What are your greatest challenges in AkooBooks at Frankfurt in October publishing services to a global com- being specialized in audiobooks and based in munity. Accra? PP: What sort of expectations do you AkooBooks Audio is Ghana’s first AD: Growing the market and driving the have for the Frankfurter Buchmesse’s new publisher and digital distributor of habit of reading with audiobooks. We have a Frankfurt Audio space and programming? African audiobooks, and offers a wide poor reading culture and so few bookshops AD: I’m super-excited about participating range of audio services. It was incor- and libraries. in the Frankfurt Book Fair. I’ll be taking part porated in November 2017 under the African writers and publishers are very in a panel session at the Audio Summit, and it’s Founder Institute Accra program and open to licensing their audiobook rights, [but] an amazing opportunity for me to sit at the ta- Ama was one the very first graduat- it can be a challenge to sort out the audio li- ble with the giants of the industry, learn from ing cohort. censing rights issues and who owns what in them, and put Africa onto the global audio lit- which territories. erature map. www.akoobooks.com The costs of production are quite high, We’re putting up an AkooBooks Audio too, making it expensive to build a backlist and stand in the Audio area, the first African au-

JUNE 2019 12 AUTHORS

Litprom Recommends: Five African Authors

Providing information on top literary talent from Africa, Asia, the Arab world, and Latin America, Litprom encourages the publication of more diverse books in translation.

1 2 3 4 5

By Hannah Johnson African Writing in 2003. (Image: Boby Pall) novels, stories, and poems and has received Jury statement on Dust: “Ngũgĩ wa Thi- several awards. (Image: Alfredo Cunha) ong’o put Kenya on the literary world map. Jury statement on Woman of the Ashes: ounded on the principle of increasing the Yvonne Owuor adds color to this map, with “A poetic love story set in the colonial war, told Fdiversity of books published in Germany, bold concise sentences, charged metaphors from two perspectives: inner monologue and Litprom is a leading source of information on and iridescent secrecy. Without simple expla- report, skilfully arranged. A black woman and literature from Africa, Latin America, Asia, nations, she leads us into African mindsets. A a Portuguese officer work together, African and the Arab world. panorama of contemporary history, leading thinking meets western pragmaticism. At the Among its many activities, Litprom pub- back to mass murders by British colonialists, a end, both see the world in a different way.” lishes its quarterly “Weltempfänger” lists of book of intimate intensity.” author recommendations meant to raise the 5. Aminatta Forna visibility of top literary writers from many 3. Jamal Mahjoub world regions. Each list is chosen by a jury of Aminatta Forna was born in Scotland in journalists, media professionals, and writers. Jamal Mahjoub was born to British and 1964, raised in Sierra Leone and Great Britain, We asked Litprom director Anita Djafari Sudanese parents in London in 1966. He writes and spent parts of her childhood in Iran, Thai- to highlight a number of African authors who in English and has published seven novels un- land, and Zambia. She is the award-winning have been selected to Litprom’s “Weltemp- der his own name. In 2012, Mahjoub began author of the novels Happiness, The Hired Man, fänger” lists in the past. Below are her five au- writing a series of crime fiction novels under The Memory of Love and Ancestor Stones, and a thor recommendations. the pseudonym Parker Bilal. (Image: Ekko von memoir called The Devil that Danced on the Wa- Schwichow) ter. She also won the LiBeraturpreis in 2008. 1. Lesley Nneka Arimah Jury statement on In the Hour of Signs: (Image: Nina Subin) “Mahjoub describes the classic colonial conflict Jury statement on A Memory of Love: Lesley Nneka Arimah was born in the UK between Sudan and the Empire, the wars on “After years of civil war, three men meet in in 1984, raised in Nigeria, and now lives in the the Mahdi at the end of the 19th century and a Sierra Leone hospital: Adrian, an English US. Her story “Skinned” was shortlisted for the their consequences that are still visible today. psychologist; Kai, a young surgeon [tending] 2019 Caine Prize. Her debut short story collec- Mahjoub masterly changes perspectives, from to the war’s victims; and Elias, who is on his tion What It Means When a Man Falls From the those of cooks and prostitutes to those of war- death-bed, full of regrets. Their fates are linked Sky won the 2017 Kirkus Prize among other riors and visionaries. Abundant and elegant, by one woman. Concisely and visually, Forna honours. Arimah is a 2019 United States Art- thrilling and very smart.” tells a story of love, betrayal and the healing ists Fellow in Writing and currently working Jury statement on The Golden Scale: “In powers of reconciliation.” • on a novel. (Image: Emily Baxter) his crime novel, Parker Bilal (aka Jamal Mah- Jury statement on What It Means When joub) takes us to the Cairo of the late 1990s. a Man Falls From the Sky: “This young author Private detective and ex-cop Makana has end- masters the art of writing in versatile ways. Set ed up there on his flight from radical Islamic About Litprom in Nigeria, the US, or somewhere in-between, forces in his home country, Sudan. Looking her stories about timeless topics such as family for a missing soccer player, he digs deep into Founded in 1980 in Frankfurt, Litprom is a and home are told in a refreshingly new way. the city’s swamps, uncovering more and more non-profit organization that aims to get more Stunningly bright and clear, affectionate and dirt. The style is unagitated, and yet thrilling literature from Africa, Asia, the Arab world, angry. Global literature at its best.” to the last page.” and Latin America recognized and published in German. 2. Yvonne Owour 4. Mia Couto www.litprom.de Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor was born in Kenya Mia Couto, born 1955 to a family of Por- in 1968. Her short stories have been published tuguese immigrants in Beira, Mozambique, is in international magazines. She published one of the most renowned writers of Luso- two novels, Dust (2015) and The Dragonfly Sea phone Africa. He worked as a journalist and (2018), and she received the Caine Prize for editor. Since 1983, he has been publishing

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES RIGHTS DEALS 13 Audio, Video, Cogito.

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JUNE 2019

FBM_2019_05_Frankfurt-Audio_AZ_FB_Publishing-Perspectives_IPA-Nairobi-Conference_210x297mm_RZ.indd 1 17.05.19 13:34 14 RIGHTS

Ghana-UK Literary Agency Specialized in African Middle-Grade and Teen Fiction

Wanting to see more African characters in books for younger readers, publishers Sarah Odedina and Deborah Ahenkorah have launched Accord Literary.

“Without diverse books, what we are telling children is, ‘Hey look, the world looks only like the people you read about.’ ”

Deborah Ahenkorah Deborah Ahenkorah Ghana

By Hannah Johnson To complement the work of Golden Bao- publish some of the titles in the UK, and the bab, Ahenkorah launched her publishing com- pair is also reaching out to their industry con- pany, African Bureau Stories, in 2015, publish- tacts to find additional US, UK, and interna- cross-continental publishing duo—Debo- ing African authors exclusively. tional publishers for the titles Accord Literary Arah Ahenkorah and Sarah Odedina—has Odedina’s long career in children’s book represents. launched a literary agency called Accord Lit- publishing includes stints at Penguin Books Outreach plans, said Odedina, include erary with the goal to broaden the range of and Orchard Books. She was the publisher at meetings at book fairs, “talking with publisher African middle-grade and young adult fiction Bloomsbury Children’s for 14 years, during friends, and all the usual ways of helping find published in Africa and internationally. which time she worked on each of the Harry co-publishers for the books. We will possibly Odedina, an editor-at-large for Pushkin Potter books. She also helped launch Hot Key appoint a sub-agent in the USA to represent Children’s Books in the UK, and Ahenkorah, Books and now works on Pushkin Press’s chil- the titles to American publishers and possibly founder of Golden Baobab and publisher at dren’s book program. the same in the UK. African Bureau Stories in Ghana, first met at a “The main thing will to be to find all the conference in Singapore, and then again at the Global Promotion for authors we work with the right home.” 2018 Pa Gya! literary festival in Accra. African Authors During that second meeting, the two re- The Demand for Diverse Books alized they shared a similar ambition to help Accord Literary, according to its newly get more African writers published and recog- launched website, aims to “mentor, develop, Recently, the UK publishing industry, in nized internationally, Odedina told Publishing and encourage writers based in Africa writing particular, has made a broad, public effort to Perspectives. books for young readers ... and get their books embrace diversity, both in terms of the books “Our meeting, which was scheduled for into the hands of readers around the world.” published and hiring decisions. Similar chang- an hour, went on all day,” said Odedina. “We This is very much in keeping with the es are taking place in other book markets. hatched the plan to work together on bringing kind of work that Ahenkorah is already doing But why now? What’s behind this rise in African writers for young readers to a world- through Golden Baobab and African Bureau diversity-oriented publishing? wide audience and we haven’t stopped since. Stories. Ahenkorah attributes this recent realiza- “Our mission,” she said, “is to reach as “We are discovering authors from Africa, tion of the importance of diversity to technol- many writers working in the field of children’s providing mentorship, and then publishing ogy and online communication. literature on the [African] continent as possi- their work,” Ahenkorah told Publishing Perspec- “The Golden Baobab Prize was started 10 ble and to find ways of helping some of those tives. “We put in the work to make sure that years ago when Internet access was just pen- writers find worldwide publication.” the books have a global reach but also a very etrating the African continent,” she said. “We Both Ahenkorah and Odedina have im- African reach.” designed the prize to function completely on- pressive backgrounds in the book world. In describing how Accord Literary fits in line: receiving submissions, jury meetings, and Dismayed by a lack of black characters in with her current activities, Ahenkorah said even announcing winners of the prize. It was books available to African children, Ahen- that “African Bureau will have African rights” the only way we could be a truly pan-African korah founded her literary nonprofit organi- to books represented by Accord Literary, and prize, given that we were run by a small team. zation Golden Baobab in 2008 with the goal of the agency will “license to other African pub- “At the time we started,” said Ahenkorah, supporting African writers and increasing the lishers” as well as publishers outside of Africa. “there was no real conversation about diverse number of African books on the market. Through Odedina, Pushkin Press plans to books happening anywhere. Then it started

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES MIDDLE-GRADE & YA 15

read about.’ ” A few of the African authors the pair has on their radar right now include Ruby Goka, “who writes fabulous books for teens and young adults,” said Odedina; Dela Avemega, writer and illustrator of books for preschool children about life in Accra; and Bontle Senne, South African author of middle-grade books “the world should watch out for,” said Ahen- korah. Odedina added, “I have read world litera- ture for as long as I can remember because I want to read about the world. African writers from Buchi Emecheta, Amos Tutuola, Ama Ata Aidoo, and Ousmane Sembene, as well as Golden Baobab more contemporary voices like Ayesha Har- runa Attah, Ayobami Adebayo, and Chimam- Sarah Odedina anda Adichie Ngozi are a fantastic part of our Golden Baobab is an arts and cul- global literary culture. ture literary nonprofit that seeks to “But there aren’t enough voices in that increase African representation in canon for children to enjoy. That’s what we’d children’s storybooks. They discover “African writers like to work on to change.” and support African children’s writers and illustrators through their liter- ... are a fantastic Creativity in African Book ary award, the Golden Baobab Prize. Distribution Through this prize, they offer pub- lishing opportunities and skills devel- part of our global This announcement of the Accord Liter- opment to the most talented children’s ary lauch came just ahead of the International writers and illustrators they find. literary culture. But Publishers Association’s second seminar on African publishing, this year taking place in www.goldenbaobab.org there aren’t enough Nairobi on June 14 and 15, where Ahenkorah is scheduled to speak in a session on the new voices in that canon generation of publishing industry leaders. One aspect of the business side of African for children to publishing that both Ahenkorah and Odedina emphasized is its creative approach to current supply chain issues. enjoy. ” “There are many challenges in the market African Bureau mainly to do with distribution, and publish- Stories Sarah Odedina ers are incredibly creative about how they get UK their books to readers,” Odedina said, “from working with schools, having relationships African Bureau Stories, the sister with supermarket chains, running book clubs, organization of Golden Baobab, online ... parents, readers, librarians, and book and supporting literary events like festivals publishes award-winning stories and lovers who have for a very long time not un- and readings.” ensures that children around Africa derstood why there were not enough diverse Ahenkorah agreed, saying, “I believe the have access to relatable and imagina- books, could talk to each other, organize, ad- real opportunity in book publishing across Af- tive books and media materials. vocate, talk loudly; and all of that is what has rica is in redefining what book distribution can crescendoed into the response we now see look like.” www.africanbureau.com from mainstream publishing. Right now, the responsibility of getting “The demand is too loud now and too via- books to readers mainly falls to the publishers ble to be ignored, and the industry is respond- themselves, and Ahenkorah said that the speed ing. We live in a capitalist world, and the eas- of innovation in this sector is largely “influ- iest way to move the cursor of supply is with enced by the publisher’s risk appetite and often demand. It’s almost as if technology came and by their background prior to their becoming fueled demand for diverse books, which always publishers.” existed but was latent.” For example, she said, one publisher with Accord Literary a supply chain background “has created an African Stories for All Readers exciting online book distribution channel,” Accord Literary is a partnership while another publisher with an advertising formed by Deborah Ahenkorah and Despite the rising desire for stories told by background “develops creative fun pop-up Sarah Odedina to mentor, develop diverse authors, Ahenkorah and Odedina be- shop stands to stand out in mainstream retail and encourage Africa-based writers lieve there is still a lot of work to be done to locations.” of books for young readers. Their meet that demand. Ahenkorah’s distribution approach for her mission is to find original and unique Ahenkorah said she feels “a deep frustra- own publishing house, African Bureau Stories, voices and get their books into the tion and disappointment with the fact that is to form partnerships. hands of readers around the world. children are not being given windows into “Especially when you are publishing fic- the world as it really looks. Without diverse tion that does not always fit directly for the www.accordliterary.com books, what we are telling children is, ‘Hey school market,” she said, “distribution becomes look, the world looks only like the people you a wide-open space for innovation.” •

JUNE 2019 16 NIGERIA

Nigeria’s Gbadega Adedapo: African Publishers’ Lagos Action Plan

Nearly one year after the IPA’s inaugural seminar on African publishing, held in Lagos, Gbadega Adedapo reviews the changes this event has brought to the industry.

platform for book industry players. They could meet and discuss challenges facing the industry in their respective countries and on the conti- nent, while putting forward realistic solutions. The event also gave industry players an oppor- tunity to assess their contributions to quality education delivery in Africa. And third, the Lagos seminar created an avenue for stakeholders to use in network- ing with each other for business, promoting cross-border business relationships. Attendees were able to meet their counterparts face-to- face, relate in a friendly manner, share con- tacts. And I am optimistic several positive post-seminar conversations would have en- sued since we had the seminar. PP: What can you tell us at this point about the Lagos Action Plan? How have things Gbadega Adedapo (Image: Nabs Ahmedi) gone with the plan, and where does that work stand now? By Porter Anderson sive Publishing and Literacy Committee. GA: The 2018 Lagos Action Plan—which Because these seminars’ viability depend we shorthand as “2018 LAP”—was primari- largely on their follow-up, this will be a cen- ly created to help document and synchronize he inaugural program in the Internation- terpiece of the program in Kenya, and we the outcomes and recommendations from the Tal Publishers Association’s (IPA) series of wanted to get something of a preview from Lagos seminar so we could track the progress Africa Seminars was held in Lagos, with the Adedapo about how things have gone since made against the seminar goals and evaluate Nigerian Publishers Association hosting. that first seminar last year in Lagos. response to identified targets, which can then Among the outcomes of that first meeting, We began by asking Adedapo how he now be assessed at future seminars. the Lagos Action Plan was one of the most sees the Lagos event in retrospect. The 2018 LAP is meant to be a reference structured and, as it turns out, productive. A Gbadega Adedapo: The effort chan- point for a great reformation in the African working group of eight members was estab- neled to making the IPA Lagos Seminar hap- book industry and also to serve as the founda- lished for the plan, and key stakeholders were pen was borne out of the passion of IPA in tion on which other seminars can build their charged with developing and implementing a carrying out its mandate of promoting and plans for progressive and consistent action. program to be sure that concrete actions came protecting the publishing industry—including An eight-member committee was set up out of the 2018 event. providing necessary support at scale to see the and tasked with holistically looking into the A driver of the plan and the president of industry grow exponentially, irrespective of outcomes of the seminar. The committee ini- the Nigerian Publishers Association, Gbadega the continent. tiated the process of developing the LAP by Adedapo, led the organizational work on the The Lagos IPA seminar left an indelible drafting an analytical framework, prioritizing ground that went into making the Lagos IPA mark already in the hearts of the key players in challenges, and gaining consensus on possible seminar a widely praised success. the industry, affirming that IPA is an associa- solutions, the bulk of which were suggested Adedapo is CEO of Rasmed Publications tion for all the continents. during the course of the seminar. A consultant and chair of the Nigerian Book Fair Trust. A is currently being engaged to draft the action member of IPA’s executive committee, he also Three Key Insights from Lagos plan as well as soliciting stakeholder input is on the board of the Nigerian Educational to ensure validation and buy-in by the wider Research and Development Council. Publishing Perspectives: What publishing ecosystem in Africa. At the IPA’s second Africa seminar in would you say were the three key insights that A survey was sent to the national publish- Nairobi this June, Adedapo will deliver an up- came out of the Lagos seminar? ers’ associations in the African regions, asking date on the Lagos Action Plan. Adedapo will GA: First, the IPA since its Lagos seminar them to rank a list of challenges shared at La- be joined in the discussion by Lawrence Nja- has gained in presence and mentions in Africa. gos, indicating to us where they see each chal- gi, chair of the Kenya Publishers Association; One-on-one conversations with publishers re- lenge in their respective countries’ priorities. Samuel Kolawole, chair of the African Pub- vealed that prior to Lagos, the international as- About 17 national associations responded. The lishers Network; John O. Asein, director gen- sociation’s interests had been misunderstood. responses were analyzed, and we decided on eral of the Nigerian Copyright Commission; The going opinion was that the IPA hadn’t three top priority areas: national book policies, Ernest Oppong, acting executive director of been giving adequate attention to the African copyright protection, and national statistics. the African Publishers Network; Anges Félix region. But IPA Lagos seminar was thrilling These three streamlined challenges, then, Ndakpri, president of the Ivory Coast Pub- and left publishers from across Africa sur- are being aggressively worked on by IPA, lishers Association; and South Africa’s Brian prised. It erased the misconception about IPA’s along with a progress report on the Lagos Wafawarowa, director of Lefa Publishing and level of interest in the continent. Action Plan for presentation at the 2019 IPA Research Services, and chair of the IPA’s Inclu- Second, the Lagos seminar provided a seminar in Nairobi. •

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES COPYRIGHT 17

Maha Bakheet: Supporting Copyright and Intellectual Property in the Arab Region

Working with policymakers and publishing stakeholders, Maha Bakheet aims to improve copyright awareness and legislation in the Arab League’s 22 member states.

“There are many challenges, but we try to overcome them in several ways, all based on raising public awareness of the challenges and building respect for intellectual property.”

Maha Bakheet Egypt Maha Bakheet

By Porter Anderson We coordinate and cooperate with differ- tent still exist in the Arab region, there are ent stakeholders, in order to ensure that the genuine efforts to change this. publishing industry is covered by modernized PP: How strong is the support you can aha Bakheet directs the Intellectual legislation and the regulations it needs. expect from various public and governmental MProperty (IP) and Competitiveness De- There are many challenges, but we try to agencies you work with? partment for the Arab League, based in Cairo. overcome them in several ways, all based on MB: Our governmental entities are show- Ten of the league’s member states are in Afri- raising public awareness of the challenges and ing their commitment to stopping copyright ca, while 12 are in Asia. building respect for intellectual property. infringement. They’re joining us in our meet- Bakheet joined the Arab League’s staff in PP: Are there specific areas of intellectual ings and workshops, making themselves part Egypt in 2000 and established the IP unit at the property that seem to be struggling with in- of our ongoing dialogue about the protection Cairo center with a brief of coordinating issues fringement more than others? of copyright . in intellectual property in the Arab region, in MB: In our cultural industries—publish- We also have very good relations with cooperation with the 22 member states of the ing, cinema, and music—we see infringement publishers’ associations in the Arab region and league. at roughly the same levels. At the same time, in other areas, and I’d like to take this oppor- Publishing Perspectives has had a chance to governments in the Arab region have made tunity to thank the IPA for their efforts and put several questions to Bakheet to get a bet- many efforts to curb infringement through persistent work in support of the publishing ter sense for the copyright-related issues ad- the development of tools for combating piracy industry. dressed by the Arab League, and we started by and by raising public awareness, in addition to PP: And what will be your main message asking her for an assessment of how critical are joining international treaties and conventions. in Nairobi when you’re part of this discussion? the issues her team is seeing. At the Arab League, we provide political MB: My key message in Nairobi is that Maha Bakheet: In our department, we support, because we have access to the poli- through cooperation in public and private work to support cooperation and coordination cymakers in all of our Arab countries through partnerships, we can strengthen the publish- among copyright offices in the Arab region, to our work with their ministerial councils and ing industry in Africa and stop the counter- combat piracy and stop infringement of copy- to the leaders who are engaged in our annual feiting of books. Let’s work together to raise right. This is done through exchanges of in- Arab summits. awareness and promote the culture of intel- formation and with visits and missions among In our department, we can say that al- lectual property in the field of copyright and Arab countries to publicize best practices. though the piracy and counterfeiting of con- neighboring rights. •

JUNE 2019 18 DIGITAL PUBLISHING

Nigerian Entrepreneurs Chidi and Chika Nwaogu Help Creators Monetize Content

After selling two successful companies, the Nwaogu twins have launched Publiseer, an online platform where writers and musicians can publish and sell digital content.

By Porter Anderson

hidi and Chika Nwaogu of Nigeria are the Cco-founders of a publishing platform with a unique character: Publiseer is for authors and for musical artists. But despite initial appearances, you’re about to hear Chidi Nwaogu tell you why Pub- liseer is not a self-publishing platform. In terms of the division of interests at Publiseer, Chidi Nwaogu is a serial software entrepreneur, writer, publisher, and comput- er programmer. He and his brother—they’re now 29 years old—have created and sold two companies in the last 10 years. One of them was PRAYHoUSe, which delivers prayers Chidi (left) and China Nwaogu (Image: Publiseer) and articles to subscribers. Chidi serves as the co-founding CEO of Publiseer. Chika Nwaogu is the team member close forms publish works as they receive them, but the delay. to the musical side and serves as CTO at Publi- Publiseer fine-tunes the works submitted to It was discovered that someone in Oslo seer. One of his and his brother’s successes has us, at no charge, to industry standards so that had used a fake ID to take his money, and Chi- been LAGbook, a social media network that our creatives have a chance to compete in the ka was heartbroken. He had to take down his was developed during the brothers’ university global market. We edit and format books sent album from Tunecore and look for local means days as a kind of directory of students. Chika to us, creating beautiful and professional book of monetization. is a gospel recording artist and a songwriter. covers that make our books stand out, and About a year later, he said to me, “Chidi, these foster sales. a lot of independent African musicians have ‘A Chance To Compete in the Global Also, we re-master songs before publish- gone through what I went through trying to Market’ ing them, giving them beautiful artwork that monetize music internationally. And I think attracts new listeners. we should solve this problem for every African In our interview with Chidi Nwaogu, we Publishing Perspectives: Did the creative out there, including ourselves.” started by asking him to describe for us what creative work that one or both of you are do- And that was when the idea was born: a Publiseer does for authors and for musical ing prompt your establishment of Publiseer? digital content distribution platform tailored artists—and how it is that he says it’s not a Where do your individual talents intersect for African creatives. On August 4, two years self-publishing platform. with the creation of the company? ago, we launched Publiseer. Our creatives re- Chidi Nwoagu: Founded in August CN: After selling our second startup com- ceive their royalties via local bank payments 2017, Publiseer lets independent African writ- pany, PRAYHoUSe, Chika and I decided to with no transaction fee, thus making moneti- ers and musicians publish, protect, promote, take a break from Internet entrepreneurship, zation convenient and risk-free. and monetize their creative works through and pursue other dreams. PP: At Publiseer, which is the leading side more than 400 partner stores in 100 countries, I wanted to be a published author, and my of the business, music or books? at no charge and with a single click. twin pursued a career as a recording artist. I CN: At the moment, music is leading and Our partner stores include Amazon, Goo- wrote a novel titled Odd Family Out, and my accounts for about 70 percent of our revenue. gle Play, the Apple Store, Barnes & Noble, twin recorded a studio album titled Higher, and We have 1,411 artists and 712 authors, with Spotify, Kobo, and Deezer. Our users can now it was time to monetize our hard work. 782 books and 3,046 [music] tracks. So you can monitor their performance across all stores us- Chika heard of a music aggregator based see that music has twice the figures for books. ing our centralized dashboard. When a unit of in the United States and decided to distribute PP: How receptive do you find that other any work—book, audiobook, song, music vid- his studio album with them ... and within a parts of the publishing industry are to you and eo, and short or feature film—is sold, Publiseer month, he had sales of more than US$1,200. Publiseer? Does the publishing establishment shares in the revenue generated from sales. Now, it was time to receive payment, and see you as the future or as a threat? Publiseer isn’t a self-publishing platform, that’s where the problem came in. CN: I don’t think they see us as a danger or and here’s why: we don’t publish every work The music aggregator primarily pays roy- threat, but rather, as leverage to digitization. sent to us. We review every submission, ac- alties via PayPal, and in Nigeria and many We’ve had publishing platforms like StreetLib cepting or declining. African countries, we cannot receive money reach out to us to expand their reach in Afri- If we accept, we contact the author or art- via PayPal, but can only send money, so that ca. We’ve had big traditional book publishers ist who sent the work to us, notifying him or payment method was out of the picture. So he with no online sales reach out to us to take her of our decision. Then, we proceed to pro- had to fall back to the only payment method their content online. We’ve even had Habari, vide what we term “the best publishing expe- left and that was check payment. However, af- a digital platform by GTBank, reach out to us rience possible.” ter two months, the check never came, so he to expand their catalogue. I think they find us By contrast, purely self-publishing plat- reached out to Tunecore to ask what’s causing quite interesting to work with. •

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES BOOKSELLING 19

Bookselling in Lagos and the Politics of Piracy

At Jazzhole, a bookstore in Nigeria that’s part of a family-owned chain, owner Kunle Tejuoso sees how piracy affects the book industry’s bottom line.

Jazzhole bookstore in Lagos, Nigeria (Image: Roger Tagholm)

By Roger Tagholm says that the letters NEPA, the former Nation- al Electric Power Authority, actually stand for “Never Expect Power Always.” “Piracy happens he bookshop called Jazzhole in Lagos is a Jazzhole was opened in 1991 and moved to Tvery cool, if eccentric place. It has a full- its present location on the ground floor of a when supply doesn’t sized drum kit and African tom-toms; vintage small apartment block in the suburb of Ikoyi in posters of Nigerian classics like Chinua Ache- 1995. The shop is part of the Glendora Books meet demand.” be’s Things Fall Apart; a mini replica of a red chain, which has five stores across the city. London phone box; photographs and album It has made a name for itself because of its covers of American jazz greats including Miles eclectic mix of books, music, and related mem- Kunle Tejuoso Davis, Charlie Parker, Thelonius Monk, and orabilia, as well as the events it hosts, and the Jazzhole, Nigeria John Coltrane; and a little café with long, low passion Tejuoso has for jazz, African writing, tables of curated stock next to stacks of records and black culture. and second-hand New Yorker magazines. “My parents opened their first bookstore provement books, popular textbooks, certain- It’s also a survivor in a country in which called Glendora in 1975,” says Tejuoso, “with ly, and religious and spiritual books are all bookselling faces some unique challenges. its name made up from all the names in our pirated. Those, and local popular fiction such “Piracy happens when supply doesn’t meet family. as Chinua Achebe and Chimamanda [Ngozi demand,” says Kunle Tejuoso, owner of the “Glendora has lived to serve several gener- Adichie].” store’s parent company, about the rampant pi- ations since its opening, and we now occasion- Jazzhole stocks copies of Adichie’s break- racy sweeping the nation’s book market. ally see young grandparents telling their loved out book Purple Hibiscus. Printed on the cover “It happens when there’s a shortage of a ones how they used to basically spend their is a special message from the publisher which book people want,” he says, “such as biogra- whole time in our stores.” says: “Fight Piracy Buy the ORIGINAL.” phies of local leaders, politicians, or on the Tejuoso opened Jazzhole, he says, “to add Tejuoso says that piracy is worse in urban politics of our times—Nigerian politics largely, a serious side to the brand, and to include areas away from Lagos. “Raids are made,” he the Nigerian Civil War, books on corruption.” my love for jazz and music in general. So in says, “but usually not systematically enough to Piracy is a major problem for Nigeria’s Jazzhole we have all sorts of performances.” eradicate the problem.” book industry and was extensively discussed at Events are important to the shop, as they Adedapo says publishers appreciate efforts the International Publishers Association Afri- are to the wider Glendora chain. Over the of the Nigerian Copyright Commission, the ca Seminar held in Lagos in June 2018. years, the stores have played host to everyone Standard Organization of Nigeria, the Nigeri- Gbadega Adedapo, president of the Nige- from the playwright Wole Soyinka—first black an Customs Services, the Nigeria Police Force, rian Publishers Association, says: “Publishers African to win the Nobel Prize for Literature and other law enforcement agencies. are losing more than 40 percent of their rev- (Algerian-born Albert Camus was the first Af- But, he says, “We still crave more unflinch- enue to the pirates. It’s our biggest challenge rican)—to the writer Nadine Gordimer. ing support [from those] bodies in fighting the and has led to mistrust among authors, pub- “We’ve sold books to the generals in pow- battle against pirates. If possible, a special an- lishers, and book distributors. Authors are not er and radical activists in detention,” Tejuoso ti-piracy unit should be created within the law motivated to write when the proceeds through tells us. enforcement agencies for rapid response on royalties are not encouraging. And how big an issue is piracy to Jazzhole book piracy issues.” “Publishing businesses are hard to set up and the Glendora shops? “Overall, the pirates And bookstore chain owner Kunle Teju- or sustain when the return on investment is are a big concern because they steal a large oso says that for his business, there is a line of greatly affected by book pirates.” share of book revenue. defense: the discerning and loyal customer. And at ground level, the challenges of “There are enough cheap second-hand “In Nigeria,” he says, “there will always be selling books in Lagos includes the lights go- books across the country,” he says, “so I don’t those customers who prefer buying a well-pro- ing out in the shop because of one of the city’s think fiction is a big market for the pirates, duced book printed properly and supplied by a frequent power shortages. An old Lagos joke but yes, business books, management, self-im- publisher to a legitimate bookstore.” •

JUNE 2019 20 FIRST AFRICA SEMINAR

IPA's 2018 Africa Seminar: Calls to Address Piracy and Celebrate African Publishing

At the first IPA seminar in Nigeria on regional issues in African publishing, attendees were assured, ‘In a globalized world, almost none of our challenges exists in isolation.’

“We simply haven’t shouted enough, about how important publishing is to the development of all the countries that make up this great continent of ours.”

Gbadega Adedapo

Gbadega Adedapo (Image: IPA) Nigerian Publishers Association

By Porter Anderson of piracy, then, to quote Achebe, ‘things fall apart’ ”—referencing Nigerian author Chinua her publisher that what’s been sold was pirated Achebe’s debut novel, Things Fall Apart. copies and there’s no money for the author or n opening the Lagos IPA seminar on May 9, “When authors’ works are unprotected,” the publishing house. I2018—titled “Publishing for Sustainable De- Adedapo continued, “when pirated copies are Adedapo, who is also an executive com- velopment: The Role of Publishers in Africa”— everywhere, when booksellers themselves are mittee member with the International Pub- Nigerian Publishers Association president acting as pirates, then authors do not receive lishers Association (IPA), is a warm, welcom- Gbadega Adedapo encouraged the African royalties and publishers do not receive sales ing man, quick to laugh and smile—a good publishing community to look for pride in its revenue.” consensus-builder and the kind of personality work: “To hold its head higher,” he said, “rec- He went on to paraphrase Yeats, as well, who seems to be well-placed for leadership in ognize its value, and reach out to the world.” saying that if piracy can’t be brought under needed regional reforms. He made it clear in Rough estimates of the African publishing control in Africa’s markets, “The center can- his opening remarks that the depth of the pira- market put it’s worth more than US$1 billion, not hold and anarchy is loosed upon our book cy dilemma in Africa means that changing the Adedapo told the audience. And, he said, with world. None of us wants that, and today I hope situation is going to take some time. more than 500 million book-buyers in Africa, we can take the discussion of this problem to “You are here at the start of what we hope the continent’s book market is showing cumu- a new level.” will be an annual event that will be hosted by a lative annual growth of 6 percent. The level of piracy and the lengths to different African city every year.” “And we simply haven’t shouted enough,” which it has affected the Nigerian market and Adedapo said, “about how important publish- others in Africa is compelling. Piracy is a vir- ‘High-Quality Content Coming ing is to the development of all the countries ulent form of copyright infringement, robbing From Africa’ that make up this great continent of ours.” creative industries and their workers of the re- “African publishing has a good story to muneration they deserve. While in many cas- The seminar was a collaborative effort tell,” Adedapo said in his agenda-setting open- es, consumer piracy can be explained, at least between of the Nigerian Publishers Associa- ing keynote. “But it’s one that’s not being told in part, by the naïveté of “digital means free,” tion and the Geneva-based IPA, which has 81 loudly enough, and it’s a story that’s under the African market seems to be facing some- member-organizations from 69 nations. threat.” thing far less innocent. So it fell to Michiel Kolman, then presi- Adedapo also addressed the issue of ram- What Adedapo described is a scenario dent of the IPA, to give the second welcoming pant piracy as an urgent challenge for Africa’s in which physical books, both education and keynote. Kolman brought his energy and zeal book markets. trade titles, are copied and printed, often by for the mission of the association to this re- printers working in league with bookstores. gional event in Africa, which was attended by a Tackling Piracy at ‘a New Level’ And one of the results is that authors have strong, highly placed delegation from the IPA. come to mistrust publishers. An author who The delegation included IPA secretary “Fellow booklovers,” Adedapo said to sees his or her book selling at a store will be general José Borghino, the Freedom To Pub- the assembly, “if we don’t tackle the scourge looking for royalties, only to be told by his or lish Committee chairman Kristenn Einarsson,

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES 2018 IN LAGOS 21

“For Africa to tap into its enormous creative and innovative potential, a dynamic and trustworthy intellectual property framework is absolutely essential.”

Michiel Kolman International Publishers Association Michiel Kolman, center (Image: IPA)

and Bodour Al Qasimi (now serving as vice ground for research and innovation. For Af- will involve international cooperation.” president of the IPA). rica to tap into its enormous creative and in- Most importantly, Kolman said, the IPA As Kolman told the audience in Lagos, “In novative potential, a dynamic and trustworthy seminar in Lagos was a chance for the interna- a globalized world, almost none of our chal- intellectual property framework is absolutely tional association’s leadership to listen, learn, lenges exists in isolation. We can all learn from essential.” and to help look for solutions. each other. The challenges faced in Nigeria Kolman also widened the day’s discus- “This seminar is about the voice of Afri- today may be those faced somewhere else to- sions, looking beyond piracy to say, “Next to ca,” Michiel Kolman said. “This is the voice we morrow. And the solutions of one government protecting copyright, one of Africa’s immedi- want to hear loud and clear today.” • may inspire another. ate battles is the fight against illiteracy. Success “On a regulatory level, the foundations of in our adult lives can often be traced back to our industry are literacy and education. In fact, just a few key characteristics in school. Learn- these are not just the foundations of our indus- ing to read from a young age is a crucial one.” try—they are the foundations of society. The Now more than ever, Kolman said to the The inaugural International Publishers pillars of our industry that are built on those seminar’s attendees, “We see high-quality con- Association (IPA) Africa Seminar—entitled foundations are copyright and the freedom to tent coming from Africa, especially in the field “Publishing for Sustainable Development publish, both well covered in today’s seminar.” of educational publishing. – The Role of Publishers in Africa”—was Copyright and piracy issues, for the IPA, “Publishers are aware that there are many jointly organized by the IPA and the Nigerian weren’t confined to Lagos this week. While challenges,” he said, “some of which African Publishers Association (NPA), and held in Kolman, Adedapo, and their IPA associates publishers can resolve for themselves. Others Lagos, Nigeria on 9 May, 2018. The event met in Nigeria, the association’s then-vice will depend on local cooperation. And some drew 180 attendees. president, Hugo Setzer of Mexico City, had flown to Toronto and was addressing a hear- ing of the Canadian parliament’s Standing Committee on Industry, Science, and Tech- nology, on what the world publishing industry sees as the catastrophic blunder of that nation’s 2012 Copyright Modernization Act and its ed- ucation exception. “Later this month,” Kolman said to the Lagos seminar audience, “the World Intellec- tual Property Organization member-states will come together in Geneva to discuss copyright, something they do twice a year. The current discussion around exceptions and limitations pits the global north against the global south in a proxy war for big tech to erode copyright. “This development directly undermines your efforts in building a sustainable market for African publishers. That’s why I cannot emphasize more strongly the importance of a robust intellectual property regime—as well as its strict enforcement. IP laws protect the From left: Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Walter Bgoya, Akoss Ofori-Mensah, ownership of ideas, and as such provide a solid Lola Shoneyin, Dr. Wale Okediran (Image: IPA)

JUNE 2019 22 IPA

Agenda-Setters at the IPA: A Look at 2019

IPA president Hugo Setzer and vice president Bodour Al Qasimi discuss their goals for the coming year and international publishing issues they intend to address.

By Porter Anderson

ugo Setzer, CEO of Mexico’s Manu- Hal Moderno, has succeeded Elsevier’s Michiel Kolman as president of the Inter- national Publishers Association (IPA). And Bodour Al Qasimi, CEO of the Kalimat Group in Sharjah, has become only the second wom- an to hold one of the two top positions with the association in more than 50 years.. The International Publishers Association, based in Geneva, comprises 81 member-orga- Hugo Setzer Bodour Al Qasimi nizations from 69 nations in Africa, Asia, Aus- tralasia, Europe, and the Americas. In what promises to be a year filled with to publish, to spread more rapidly than ever change for publishing—amid deep upheaval in “In an era of before. If the work of an international organi- the politics, cultural contexts, and economics zation like IPA has always been relevant, now- of many world markets—the IPA’s work cov- information adays it is more important than ever before. ers a strikingly broad range of issues. Publishing Perspectives has had a chance to abundance and fake IPA Vice President Bodour Al Qasimi put some questions to Setzer and Bodour on the year ahead. news, publishers’ PP: Looking forward into the year ahead, do you have a shortlist of key issues and chal- IPA President Hugo Setzer lenges you’d like to approach, in particular? job as gatekeepers, Bodour Al Qasimi: Hugo provided a We started by asking Setzer what his great overview of the IPA’s direction over the shortlist of key issues might be, looking ahead as curators of next year. As a membership-based organiza- in his new role as IPA president. tion, a key priority of ours is reaching out to Hugo Setzer: The IPA has to work to trustworthy, reliable members to understand their needs and to see ensure a better business environment for pub- what we can be doing better. lishers globally. And such an environment information, is as We’re planning to work with the secretar- rests on the foundation of having freedom to iat on a membership and industry issues sur- publish the works we believe are important important as ever.” vey. The results will ensure that the services and that our copyright is respected. That is we’re offering are aligned with evolving mem- why we focus so much on those points as our ber needs and that our advocacy efforts are fo- two main pillars. Hugo Setzer cused on the most pressing issues in the global Having said that, we are also working on President, IPA publishing industry. other projects as well, like one to show poli- I’m also working very closely with the cy makers the value of publishers. In an era of Kenya Publishers Association on the second information abundance and fake news, pub- Latin America are similar to those in other iteration of our regional African seminar se- lishers’ job as gatekeepers, as curators of trust- parts of the world. What I think is particu- ries in June. The inaugural event in Nigeria at- worthy, reliable information, is as important larly important in having a president coming tracted 200 attendees from over 20 countries— as ever. We need to convey this message to from Latin America and a highly respected making it the largest global forum on African policy makers around the word. vice president from the Arab world is that this publishing ever held. The regional seminars There’s also the work we are doing on di- shows the truly international character of IPA. are a great way to crystalize publishing indus- versity and inclusion. There’s a lot of research PP: How do you see the “state of the in- try ecosystems in emerging publishing mar- showing the benefits of having more diverse dustry” this year? kets like Africa, the Middle East, Latin Amer- and inclusive workplaces. Because of this, I HS: I think publishers are very good at ica, and Asia and enhance the IPA’s impact by have asked immediate past president Michiel adapting to change. We’ve been doing so in connecting with our members on the ground. Kolman to be IPA’s envoy for diversity and many ways for years, adopting new technolo- PP: As you begin your tenure as a much- inclusion. gies in production and delivery of content, and too-rare female vice president of the IPA, how We’ll be working on many issues, especial- we’re still open to adapting our business mod- do you think that you and the organization can ly continuing our support for the Accessible els to the needs of our readers. raise awareness of gender issues in publishing? Books Consortium and the SDG [Sustainable I think IPA plays a fundamental role in BAQ: The publishing industry has a di- Development Goals] Book Club announced fostering inter-cultural thinking and under- versity problem, and it’s more important than last year in cooperation with the UN. standing. We are fully aware that we live in ever that we take action. In many countries, Publishing Perspectives: Can you a globalized world and that we have to think our sector is not welcoming to outsiders, point to any specific issues in the publishing internationally and understand different cul- whether they’re female or from other disad- industry in Mexico and other parts of Latin tures. On the other hand, globalization also vantaged groups. America these days? allows certain issues, like the orchestrated at- The UK Publishers Association is emerg- HS: I think many of the issues we face in tack on copyright and restrictions to freedom ing as a leader in addressing diversity issues,

PUBLISHING PERSPECTIVES IPA 23

and I think there’s a lot our members can learn We’re also increasingly seeing sensitive “The publishing from their publishing workforce diversity socio-cultural issues like the freedom to pub- study, “10-Point Inclusivity Action Plan,” and lish and new media becoming a conversation industry has a five-year targets. We plan to meet with our of public debate. UK colleagues on the sidelines of the London PP: How do you see the “state of the in- diversity problem, Book Fair to see how we can work together to dustry” this year? support other IPA members in taking action BAQ: I think digital disruption is a key and it’s more on our industry’s diversity challenge. theme underlying many of the current devel- PP: Similarly, are there specific insights opments in the publishing industry. Technol- important than or dynamics from the Arab world that you’re ogy has made it possible for Bollywood, Nolly- looking forward to bringing to the fore? wood, Japanese manga, and even Turkish soap ever that we take BAQ: We’re at a very interesting and ex- operas to reach a global audience. A similar citing stage of publishing industry develop- transition is happening as global readers are action. In many ment in the Arab world. Not only does our increasingly seeking more diverse books. The region have among the fastest mobile and In- digital age is raising some new questions about ternet connectivity growth rates in the world, online freedom to publish as governments countries, our sector but we also have a big, technology-embracing globally develop new laws to monitor and con- youth demographic that we hope will drive the trol online content. is not welcoming region’s digital economy, and this underscores As Hugo mentioned, publishers are the the importance of digital transformation in the gatekeepers of trustworthy, reliable informa- to outsiders, regional publishing industry. tion, but, as our industry becomes more digi- Regional publishers are beginning to see tized, governments, in particular, are cracking whether they’re that some of the stubborn industry challenges down on freedom to publish through censor- we’ve faced can be solved by technology and ship 2.0 tactics that increasingly involve cyber- female or from that the rapid rise of the digital economy and crime, fake news, and other laws regulating the region’s embrace of e-commerce is really the digital space. other disadvantaged going to transform how we do business. Technology is also affecting copyright. In particular, there are some very interest- A big impetus for Europe’s new copyright groups.” ing publishing technologies that are emerging framework is the digital economy with the in the region that can resolve book distribu- debate focusing on cross-border access to con- tion and retail challenges. Issues like how dig- tent online and a fairer marketplace for online Bodour Al Qasimi ital publishing and artificial intelligence will content. As Hugo says, these industry changes Vice President, IPA impact educational publishing are starting to are manageable, but they’re likely to have pro- be discussed. found impact on the publishing industry. •

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JUNE 2019 AFRICA RISING / JUNE 2019

Special issue on African publishing, produced by Publishing Perspectives, in cooperation with the International Publishers Association and the Kenyan Publishers Association

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