The National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN) has expressed its readiness to collaborate with Book Nation to revitalise Nigeria’s declining reading culture and promote community-based literacy initiatives across the country.
The commitment was expressed when a high-level delegation from Book Nation paid a courtesy visit to the university’s headquarters in Abuja, where both organisations explored areas of mutual collaboration in book publishing, seminars, conferences and the development of community libraries.
The meeting provided an opportunity for the two organisations to introduce their respective mandates and examine practical ways of translating knowledge acquired through formal education into relevant skills and capabilities that can contribute meaningfully to national development.
While representing the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Uduma Oji Uduma, the University Librarian, Prof. Angela Ebele Okpala, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed NOUN’s commitment to expanding access to education through flexibility, inclusivity and equity.
She noted that the university’s mandate aligned closely with Book Nation’s philosophy of democratising knowledge and making learning accessible to wider segments of society.
Prof. Okpala, however, expressed concern over the declining culture of leisure reading in Nigeria, observing that reading had increasingly become examination-driven, with many people reading primarily to pass examinations or pursue immediate economic objectives.
According to her, the trend poses a serious challenge to the development of lifelong learning and the emergence of a well-informed reading society.
She also identified the growing influence of digital technology as one of the factors distracting many Nigerians from traditional reading, while the high cost of books has continued to make reading materials unaffordable for a large segment of the population.
The University Librarian further lamented the poor state and inadequate funding of public and school libraries, stressing the need for deliberate interventions to restore libraries as vibrant centres of learning, intellectual engagement and community development.
Earlier, the National President and team leader of Book Nation, Mr. Ibrahim Emmanuel, introduced the organisation as a membership-based and volunteer-driven association committed to promoting transformational knowledge and practical capabilities.
Emmanuel explained that Book Nation seeks to move education beyond the acquisition of theoretical knowledge towards the development of practical skills that individuals can apply in real-life situations.
He drew attention to the traditional apprenticeship and mentorship system, particularly the successful business mentorship model practised in parts of South-Eastern Nigeria, where young people are trained under experienced mentors for several years before establishing independent businesses.
According to him, such models demonstrate the importance of complementing formal education with practical learning, mentorship and hands-on experience.
He said Book Nation intends to advance this objective through non-formal learning channels, including book publishing, seminars and conferences, with the aim of bridging the gap between knowledge acquisition and practical application.
The meeting also focused on possible areas of institutional collaboration, particularly in the promotion of reading, publishing, community-based literacy programmes, as well as the funding and development of community libraries.
NOUN disclosed that it had already commenced community engagement programmes through its library network aimed at promoting a renewed reading culture and encouraging lifelong learning.
The University described Book Nation’s visit as timely and expressed interest in developing a formal partnership that would enable both organisations to combine their strengths in addressing Nigeria’s literacy and reading challenges.
Present at the meeting were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research, Prof. Christine I. Ofulue; the Bursar, Mallam Nasiru Marafa, who was represented by Mr. Samson Shadow; and Mr. Harrison Muiwa, who represented the Registrar, Mr. Oladipo Ajayi, among other university officials.
In his vote of thanks, Mr. Muiwa expressed NOUN’s appreciation to the Book Nation delegation for the courtesy visit and the ideas shared during the engagement.
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