Arts & Books
At NIBF 2025, stakeholders discuss challenges to local book production, proffer solutions
The opening day of the 24th International Conference of the annual Nigeria International Book Fair (NIBF) turned out to be a robust session at Balmoral Convention Centre, Sheraton, Ikeja, the venue of this year’s edition.
The theme of the conference: Local Paper Production: Panacea to Affordable Book Production and Qualitative Education
Mr. Oluwatuyi Oluwadare, the Chairman of the Nigeria Book Fair Trust, the organisers of the annual book fair and Managing Director of CSS Books in his welcome address thanked partners and all the stakeholders who made this year’s event possible. He saluted their dedication. He said that 2026 edition will mark the silver jubilee of the conference.
The keynote speaker Professor Abiodun Oluwafemi Oluwadare of the department of Forest Production and Products, University of Ibadan, in his presentation of the keynote paper delved extensively into the ecology of local paper production in Nigeria.
He took a holistic look at the ecosystem of local paper production , touching on various mishaps ranging from policy flip flops to compromised privatization and apathy to local book production that brought to an end era of thriving local paper production that led to the flowering of locally produced books at affordable prices, and submitting that local paper production is dead, and needs urgent resuscitation.
Oluwadare noted that there’s a dire need for a revitalization, to bring it back to life. He argued that Paper industry is dozing, and only positive action on the part of government and stakeholders can bring it to life.
He traced the centrality of paper production to the time when the Creator instructed the patriarch Moses to write down in Scroll his instructions.
This, he noted highlights the significance of paper to the development of culture and civilization.
To have qualitative education, he stated, there is need for paper industry to be vibrant. He asserted that there is no house in the country where paper is not used one way or the other.
He expressed optimism that at the end of the conference, something fruitful will come out that will benefit the discussions around qualitative local paper production.
He appealed to stakeholders and government to implement the positive ideas put forward by experts and stakeholders so that it will not be merely a yearly jamboree of talk, talk without action.
According to him, qualitative education is one of the millennium development goals of the United Nations; but this will remain elusive without thriving local paper production to guarantee access to affordable books.
He concluded that in spite of the advances in the digital age, hard copy will continue to be relevant, given that many still prefer it to e- reading.
Whatever happens, he said, papers will still be relevant to the need of human beings. He bemoaned the death of the country’s paper mills. The past had a very good future for Paper industry, but that past, according to him was not allowed to give birth to the present.
One of the resource for the session,Engineer Akpan Noah, on his own traced the sociology of local production of papers from the days of Jebba Paper Mills to Iwo Bokun, highlighting the politics of privatization that eventually sounded the death knee of local efforts to sustain paper production.
He noted that currently as in the past raw material is the biggest challenge. He commended the effort of Nixen Paper Mill to resuscitate the industry.
He blamed the modus operandi of privatization as one factor that killed paper production.
In his own submission, Mr. Williams,Nixin Paper Mill Nigeria ltd Sales Director, showcased the achievement the company has made towards reviving local production of papers, saying it has successfully produced white papers.
Mr.Olugbemi Malomo, Vice Chairman’ of NIBF who moderated the panel session appreciated the contributions of discussants, noting that “We are talking about affordable book, in order to have qualitative education. The solution is to source the material locally.
The Director General of Nigeria Educational Research Development Commission, Professor Salisu Shehu pledged the commission’s support for the development of local production of papers, saying he was delighted to be part of the conference having just assumed office four months ago. He appealed to stakeholders to show more commitments to the efforts to revitalize local production of papers in order to guarantee access to affordable books.
The Minister of Industry,Trade and, Investments Senator John Owan Enoh through his representative Mrs.Abosede Ajayi affirmed support for the conference, pledging federal government’s commitment to revitalizing local paper production as a gateway to qualitative education.
Present at the conference were the representative of the Lagos State governor in person of Dr .Kasali, a permanent secretary and a representative of Minister of Education.