Economic hardship, piracy threaten Nigeria’s reading culture – Kolawole

By Precious Oluwole

Rampant book piracy and growing economic hardship are increasingly restricting access to literature in Nigeria, threatening both education and the development of the country’s publishing industry, the Managing Director of University Press Plc, Mr Samuel Kolawole, has warned.

Kolawole, who disclosed this in an interview, described piracy as a pressing problem in Nigeria, more severe than in many other countries due to weak enforcement of copyright laws.

“Pirated books allow consumers to avoid paying the full production costs, including authors’ royalties and taxes, which makes legitimate books more expensive and less accessible,” he explained.

Kolawole also drew attention to the connection between low sales volumes and high prices.

“Even selling 200,000 copies of a bestseller is considered a major achievement here. When sales are low, costs remain high and books become unaffordable for many,” he said.

He called for stronger government action to protect intellectual property rights, stressing the need to equip the Nigerian Copyright Commission with sufficient resources to tackle piracy effectively.

Addressing the state of the nation’s reading culture, Kolawole noted that although many Nigerians do read, much of it is driven by examinations rather than curiosity or enjoyment.

He emphasised the role of fiction and general knowledge books in fostering a genuine interest in reading.

Economic pressures, he added, have placed books out of reach for many families, particularly in rural areas, while government initiatives often prioritise core academic subjects.

“Creating a sustainable reading culture requires a concerted effort from government, publishers, authors and other stakeholders to make books affordable and reading enjoyable,” he said.

Kolawole concluded by observing that Nigerians are enthusiastic readers when encouraged, but the real challenge lies in promoting reading for learning and pleasure, not merely for examinations.