President and Chairman-in-Council of the Nigerian Publishers Association (NPA), Uchenna Anioke, has urged the Federal Government to involve publishers in national education curriculum reforms. Speaking at the association’s Annual Conference and General Meeting in Lagos recently, themed “Publishing in the Age of Artificial Intelligence: Exploring The Future of Content Creation, Delivery, and Copyright,” Anioke emphasized the critical role publishers play in implementing curriculum changes.
He criticized the exclusion of publishers from decision-making processes, calling it counterproductive and warning of potential “intellectual sabotage” if key stakeholders like publishers, authors, printers, and booksellers are ignored. Anioke advocated for a collaborative approach to ensure effective curriculum integration and highlighted the need to revive Nigeria’s dormant paper mills to reduce reliance on imports, which hinders the growth of local publishing and printing industries.
Anioke also called for education policies that promote book production in Nigeria’s major indigenous languages, citing countries like Russia, China, and India as examples where native languages have advanced education and publishing. He proposed partnerships between Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), publishers, and translators to achieve this goal.
On the conference theme, Anioke stressed the transformative impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the publishing sector, urging stakeholders to adopt AI technologies to enhance content creation and delivery while safeguarding intellectual property. His sentiments were echoed by conference chairman Rasaq Jaiyeola, former ICAN president, and NPA Vice-President Lukman Dauda, who encouraged participants to embrace AI for the industry’s future.
The event featured a keynote address by the Director-General of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr. John Asein, lauded for his expertise in intellectual property and anti-piracy. Panelists, including Mr. David Oluwagbami, Dr. (Mrs.) Chika Yinka-Banjo, and Engr. Ifeanyi Avajah, delved into AI’s implications for the sector.
The conference celebrated milestones such as establishing NPA’s permanent secretariat after 55 years, attributed to the vision of past leaders, particularly the previous executive council led by Gbadega Adadepo. Corporate sponsors, including Clean Life Nigeria Ltd., Nixin Paper Mills, and Everest Pulp and Paper Ltd., were acknowledged for their support.
As NPA approaches its 60th anniversary, Anioke expressed gratitude to founding members, past presidents, and international partners for strengthening Nigeria’s presence in global publishing. He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to innovation and collaboration, urging stakeholders to build a robust and sustainable publishing industry.
