Image credited to: pixabay by LubousHouska
A Brief History of Commercial Publishing in Nigeria
First and foremost, I think it’s better we briefly narrate the history of commercial publishing in Nigeria, just for better understanding of the subject matter, as it were. Publishing can be referred to as a mass communication channel that’s essential for educational progress of any given nation. Therefore, the developments of nations are naturally connected with the quality of their publishing industries. However, before and immediately after the Nigeria’s independence easy availability of various literature books for primary and secondary schools including educational institutions or higher institutions was a serious problem in different parts of the country. Likewise, media houses for daily newspaper publications were scarcely available or mostly unavailable and there was real need or quest for knowledge and information as at that time. Hence, the need for commercial publishing to ensure that Nigerians have access to quality information and various literature books particularly the Nigerians students become inevitable.
In view of this, foreign publishers like Oxford University Press –(now University Press Plc.) was first publishing firm to established its West African branch in Ibadan in 1948; followed by Longman in 1961; Heinemann in 1965; Macmillan in 1965 and Evans in 1966, amongst others. These companies came into the country to start commercial publishing in Nigeria. Today, many publishing companies owned by Nigerian citizens like Extension Publications Limited, Learning Solution, Africana First Publishers, amongst others, have come up to make literature books much available for Nigerians. Needless to say that today, there are various media houses for daily newspaper publications across the country.
Book image credited to: Ohipet Publisher
Publishing Firms and their Importance
The publishing industry handles various numbers of books, scientific journals and daily newspapers in the developing countries (Nigeria). Hence, the industry is both directly and indirectly much essential in the (Nigeria) economy of the developing countries because publishing is the most vital channel for information and knowledge dissemination, for social and economic wealth and general development. In addition, the publishing industry in Nigeria ( a developing country ) provides both direct and indirect jobs for thousands of Nigerians and in other developing countries, if not in their millions thereby, reducing the high rate of unemployment and the considerable financial hardship that most Nigerians including citizens of most developing countries would have experienced owing to lack of jobs.
E- Publishing In Publishing Industry
E-publishing on the other hand, is a major revolution in knowledge and information – related activities in Nigeria and the world at large. E-publishing can be described as the publishing of information in electronic formant and which is implemented by creating, maintaining, archiving and distributing documents using the computer and the internet connectivity. E-publishing aims to promote the growth of publishing industry but consequently reduces the marketing potential of most Nigerian publishing firms who majorly rely on production of hardcopy books for sales. E-publishing may also have its own constrains such as in an environment where access to related technologies and efficient internet connectivity are poor, including high cost of accessing available networks data which may make it difficult, if not impossible for readers to make sophisticated searches online or to easily access online published materials not to talk of exploring the information and knowledge therein.
E- Books In Commercial Publishing
In view of the above, the market for electronic books in Nigeria is still poor and very uncertain, and it has not brought about any tangible result when you compare it with the printed books for primary and secondary schools. Although, in a normal setting or circumstance, e-publishing has brought about a huge potential for success as it aims at solving the publishers’ common problem of having to print many copies of books without being sure or certain of the actual number that the market will absorb. Having said this, e-books help the publishers to reduce both printing inventory and the huge cost associated with printing books including the risk associated with demand estimation. In simple language, e-books are more cost effective or cheaper for publishers, when you compare it with printed books in paper format. But in Nigeria taking all notable factors into consideration, it may be difficult, if not impossible to firmly conclude that e-books are cheaper!
Notable Challenges of Commercial Publishing In Nigeria
There are various challenges that the publishing industry in Nigeria is faced with in their daily operations that I will like to point out here, one after the other. However, the high cost of production is one of the great concerns for publishers and the authors in Nigeria. Due to high cost of production, many creative and innovative authors and researchers are threatened with financial constrains to publish their books for their target audience, mostly the lecturers in various higher institutions. Apart of facing the high cost of production in publishing industry, publishing firms and authors also battle against book piracy. Another challenge is what can be referred to or described as a dilemma for the poorest of the poor Nigerians, who could not afford to send their children to school let alone, buying them quality books, the right for free education has been denied in Nigeria in different occasions and this may consequently reduce the sales potential of many publishing firms. Competitive rivalry in their numbers and the stiff competition for limited available market is also one of the challenges faced by publishing firms in Nigeria. Another notable challenge is the copyright related issues in e-publishing. With the introduction and increase in the use of internet and technologies, authors and publishers are losing control over the distribution of their work as these technologies allow, anyone to copy a piece of published material and share it with countless number of people or send it to an indefinable number of people! Painful enough, it may be difficult if not impossible to fully enforce copyright law in Nigeria! With this uncertainty, intellectual property rights are being denied and threatened with impunity! Furthermore, poor and untimely regular reports to management from various units or departments of the publishing business or firm, is another notable challenge that creates more rooms for wastage, cost increment, fraudulent activities, accumulation of unsold stock, operational inefficiency, and poor profitability amongst others. Additionally, many researchers mostly the lecturers in higher institutions would prefer their research works to be published in international journals, in order to receive special recognition from the international community, at the expense of e-publishing industry in their country. All of these, among others, are the problems facing the publishing industry in Nigeria and in some other developing countries mostly in Africa.
Finally, if proper solutions may be provided to those challenges associated with publishing industries in the developing countries, there will be a robust growth of literature, resultant growth in knowledge and development across all levels or sectors in a country. All of these benefits, amongst others, will be the desired impact of viable publishing industries in the society.
Thank you!
