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NBRP Reviews 2021 Reading Promotion Activities, Plans for 2022
By Edozie Obasi-Eze
The Network of Book Clubs and Reading Promoters in Nigeria (NBRP), after a busy year marked by a series of virtual and physical events, has taken a retrospective look into 2021 with respect to reading promotion activities in the country while recounting the milestones achieved and the foundational blocks laid for the group’s activities in 2022.
Commenting on this in a recent event in Lagos, Mr. Richard Mammah, NBRP President, said 2021 has been an eventful year for the Network what with the setbacks of the pandemic outbreak of 2020.
Richard Mammah
“We are happy that major steps were taken this year towards the growth of the group as a pivotal body for galvanising harmony among book clubs and reading promoters in Nigeria,” he said.
NBRP was born in February 2020 after a gathering of a few book lovers sparked the need to create a broad platform for organising reading promotion and advancing the course of reading in Nigeria. Since then, the group has grown into over 50 members who are representatives of reading groups, books clubs, and reading for writing groups, library custodians and enthusiasts, and so on.
Mammah said teething issues have been experienced in getting activities of the group off the ground but there has been an overall success with major annual events adopted by the group such as the Quarterly Business Meetings, the Annual Convention and General Meeting, the Book and Copyright Day to mark the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) Book and Copyright Day every April, and the National Reading Week.
An audacious but necessary initiative of the group is the vision of 774 book clubs in Nigeria, in line with having at least one major book club in every local government area in Nigeria.
2021 also saw the group implementing the National Book City Initiative, taking its inspiration from the UNESCO World Book Capital initiative, which adopts one city in the world annually to serve as hub and anchor for reading promotions activities across the given year.
Localised to suit the Nigerian environment, NBRP considered the merits of consolidating book activities in one location for a whole year so as to achieve greater traction and Uyo was chosen as the first National Book Clubs City for 2021. After the group’s first annual general meeting in Uyo in September, Uyo also emerged as the National Book Clubs City for 2022 commencing from 23 April 2022 while Lagos will follow in 2023, commencing from 23 April 2023.
Meanwhile, at the Uyo AGM, the group, in collaboration of other stakeholders in attendance, drawn from the National Library of Nigeria; Nigerian Copyright Commission; Booksellers Association of Nigeria; Nigerian Publishers Association, Librarians of Nigerian Universities; media and information managers; authors; the political class; students and the broader reading public, reviewed the current state of the reading enterprise in Nigeria, the operations of the NBRP and steps to boost the reading culture through greater exploration of public libraries, book clubs, e-books and social reading, and resolved as follows:
To amplify the continued poor appreciation of the place of reading in national development and the inadequate deployment and maintenance of infrastructure in this regard; To call attention to the imperative of an all-out drive to emplace the reading enterprise at the centre of the national development process given its notable multiplier effect across all levels and strata of national growth and achievement;
To emphasise the urgent need for value reorientation, and aggressive readership promotion to entrench the reading culture in all communities within the Nigerian Society; To secure endorsement for NBRP’s campaign towards the establishment of at least one well-kitted library and book club per local government in the country;
To demand that a Library Bill of Rights should be passed by the legislature as an instrument to provide uncompromising support for intellectual freedom and the provision of all types of libraries for all; To request that a libraries’ advocacy group comprising book clubs, stakeholders in the book trade, schools, students, parents, journalists, non-governmental organisations, donor agencies, and so on, should be formed to lobby for the continued prioritizing of libraries on the agenda of government; To reiterate that social reading should continue to be encouraged given its impact on the proper cultivation and enhancement of sound human values, peer review, and the multiplicity of constructive ideas for individual and national development; To require that stakeholders in the book trade should continue to work at improving the book value and supply chain for greater reader impact, reading culture enhancement and national development through taking steps towards the gradual restoration of the structural elements of the holistic book chain; To hold governments at all levels accountable to their social function and proper positioning of the education and culture sector in the national development process; To advocate voluntary citizens and Community initiatives and involvement in book clubs establishment and libraries management; and To urge stakeholders in the book trade to work towards the introduction of an Integrated private sector-driven National Books Distribution Company that would help address bottlenecks in the books supply chain and lead to the lowering of costs.
Hearty commendations were also extended to His Excellency, Mr Udom Emmanuel, Governor of Akwa Ibom State for his support for, and participation at the Conference and for accepting and signing up to serve as Grand Patron of Akwa Ibom Book Clubs.
A further collaborative effort was also manifested at the 23rd Lagos Book and Arts Festival (LABAF) on 18 November 2021, when a session of the publishers’ forum held. With the theme, “Getting Books to Readers across the Country and the role of Library and Resource Centres in getting Books to Readers,” stakeholders in the book sphere including writers came together for deliberations on the way forward. At the end of the session, the following resolutions were made and, signed by Jahman Anikulapo of Committee for Relevant Art, Mr. Gbadega Adedapo of Nigerian Book Fair Trust, Chief (Hon) Uchenna Cyril Anioke of Nigerian Publishers Association, Dare Oluwatuyi of Booksellers Association of Nigeria, Dr. Nkem Osuigwu of African Libraries and Information Associations and Institutions, and Richard Mammah of NBRP:
To encourage greater collaboration and networking among players in the books ecosystem as part of a drive for a more seamless books sector and to better facilitate joint advocacy in the overall interest of all players, book industry stakeholders must be fully ready to raise their voices and make their activities more visible for all to see through enhanced public awareness and sensitization; To remind government of its role in the continued nurturing and development of the book sector, beginning with the coming into effect of a National Book Policy within the shortest possible time; To encourage the attachment of functional and viable book clubs to all libraries in the country; To encourage governments across board, and particularly at the local government area level, to establish, maintain, staff and furnish at least one community library per LGA whose book stock must be renewed and updated annually; That going forward, libraries should be seen and regarded as more than ‘houses of books,’ but even more appropriately as ‘living community houses and centres of ideas and culture’ where unfettered dissemination and transmission of information is maximally encouraged and takes place; That government, as well as stakeholders in the book trade, should pay even greater regard to factors of ease of availability and affordability of books as a way of engendering improved readership patronage, and that in a practical sense, stakeholders should do more to facilitate the coming into being of at least one ‘National Books Distribution Company’ as a practical vehicle for lowering distribution and marketing costs within the next three years; That Publishers must take advantage of the Information Technology tools prevalent amongst the youths nowadays, to package their contents for readers across various formats (audio books, e-book, v-book, braille etc.) to encourage and promote reading amongst the youths; and That the respective associations in the book trade should continue with their ongoing engagements in respect of the restoration of the traditional book chain and invest more resources in order that we may be able to better guarantee the immediate and long-term sustainability of the books ecosystem in Nigeria.
NBRP also played a collaborative role in the United Nations SDG’s Book Clubs Reading list, which was announced on the occasion of the 2021 World Book and Copyright Day, by way of encouraging its members to sign up as ambassadors for the UN SDG’s Book Clubs African Chapter with a view to creating a reading atmosphere for the selected books in the list to get to the target audience.
“Majority of these activities are not one-off,” Mammah said, adding that “the numerous emergent initiatives, assignments and projects, most of which are collaborative with relevant stakeholders, will continue in 2022 as NBRP progresses to deepen its roots towards the overall objectives of getting books and reading into the daily culture of Nigerians.”
The recently commissioned 70-tonnes-per-day Air Separation Unit plant in Lagos, has upscaled Apex African Gas Nigeria Limited production capacity to 110 tonnes per day, thus positioning it among the largest domestic industrial gas producers in Nigeria.
It was gathered that this development would help reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported gases and strengthen the supply of industrial and medical gases to the healthcare, construction, manufacturing, oil and gas, and food processing sectors.
During the inauguration on Thursday, the Chairman of Apex African Gas, Najimu Adeniji, said the facility will produce oxygen, nitrogen and argon for critical industries across the country.
“This plant does not just produce oxygen. We also produce nitrogen and argon, which are used in industries. Oxygen, we can change the configuration to produce more oxygen if we want or more nitrogen,” Adeniji said.
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He noted that nitrogen remained a key product for the oil services industry, particularly in Port Harcourt and its environs.
“Our main customers for nitrogen are in the oil service industries in Port Harcourt and the environment. They also represent a significant part of our revenue. These are gases that would have been imported if we were not producing locally. So it saves us the foreign exchange costs that we are able to produce here,” Adeniji added.
The chairman, however, identified power supply as a major challenge affecting production costs, explaining, “If we can get a power supply from the national grid, the cost will be significantly cheaper. So what we would like is for the government to provide for us, for the benefit of the general populace, cheaper power so that the cost of oxygen to the general public will be much cheaper than it is.”
On his part, the General Manager of Apex African Gas, Charles Allam, said the company remained committed to supporting hospitals with oxygen despite rising operating costs.
“While the major concern now is power, we are working closely with the government, especially with the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, to see how we can save on power. But for now, we are trying our best,” Allam said.
“We are supporting all the medical hospitals and the federal hospitals with oxygen at the best rate and at the best cost. Some of them, as we mentioned in the ceremony, are free. We are trying. There are challenges, but with God’s help, we will overcome them,” he added.
According to Allam, the project involved an investment of more than N10bn and was designed to serve Nigerians across multiple sectors of the economy.
“What we have done so far belongs to all Nigerians. It belongs to Nigeria, and it is for the benefit of all Nigerians. So, altogether, we can make a big difference for this country,” Allam said.
Guest of Honour, Senator Tokunbo Abiru, described the project as a demonstration of investor confidence in Nigeria and a major contribution to industrial development and job creation.
“It is with great pleasure that I join you today at the formal launch of Apex African Gas Nigeria Ltd., a company whose emergence further strengthens Nigeria’s industrial, healthcare and energy value chain,” Abiru remarked.
“To me, this occasion is more than the unveiling of a company. It is the celebration of enterprise, innovation and confidence in the future of our nation. Apex African Gas represents the kind of indigenous capacity we must continue to encourage in Nigeria,” he added.
Abiru said the investment will support local production and reduce reliance on imports while improving access to critical industrial and medical gases.
“The importance of industrial and medical gases in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, oil and gas and other strategic sectors cannot be overstated. The contribution of this company, therefore, is to improve access to medical oxygen and support industrial productivity,” Abiru said.
He also commended the company’s parent group for its contribution to employment generation, noting that the investment could create additional jobs.
Partners of the firm, including the Technical Director of FHI 360, Dr Kenny Ewulum, commended the inauguration, stressing that Apex had played a vital role in improving access to liquid medical oxygen across Nigeria.
“To need liquid oxygen in the country is one thing, but to have access is a big challenge. That’s where Apex Gases came, I would say, to the rescue for the country to be able to access liquid medical oxygen across the country,” Ewulum stated.
“Currently, we are being supported by Apex Gases to provide liquid medical oxygen across the country. We hope that we are going to be expanding that access to contribute to universal access to medical oxygen,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director of Medical Services, Nigerian Navy, Surgeon Commodore Momoh Salihu, said the company had supported the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Ojo, with free oxygen supplies during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Today’s event represents far more than the inauguration of a new industrial facility. It is a testament to vision, innovation and confidence in Nigeria’s capacity to build, produce and compete. This investment is no doubt a significant contribution to national development,” Salihu said.
“Recently, Apex Gas has been a valued partner in healthcare delivery since the COVID-19 pandemic, when the company generously supplied oxygen gas free of charge to the Nigerian Navy Reference Hospital, Ojo. More importantly, this support continued beyond the pandemic, reflecting a genuine commitment to healthcare delivery and community well-being,” he added.
Representing the National Coordinator of the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain, Technical Adviser to the initiative, Eniitan Tejuoso, described the new facility as a milestone for Nigeria’s healthcare and industrial sectors.
“Medical oxygen sits squarely at the intersection of these priorities. It is more than an industrial product. It is an essential medicine. Every investment that strengthens our ability to produce medical-grade oxygen locally strengthens the resilience of our health system and our capacity to save lives,” Tejuoso said.
“With this new 70-tonne per day air separation unit, Apex African Gas Nigeria has established itself as the country’s leading producer of liquid oxygen. This is not only a milestone for Nigeria, but a significant achievement for the wider West African region,” she added.
Senior Director, Child Health and Infectious Diseases, Dr Chizoba Fashanu, who represented the Country Director of the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Dr Olufunke Fasawe, also commended the company for its role in strengthening Nigeria’s oxygen supply chain and supporting healthcare facilities, particularly in underserved communities.
Apex African Gas was founded in 2004. The company produces oxygen, nitrogen, argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium and specialised gas mixtures in both liquid and gaseous forms. The company serves healthcare institutions, manufacturers, oil and gas operators, food processors, construction firms and other industrial users across Nigeria.
The company said the new facility will expand storage capacity, improve supply reliability and support long-term growth in sectors where uninterrupted access to industrial and medical gases remains critical.
To keep pace with rivals and sustain profitable operations amid structural shifts in Nigeria’s petroleum industry, the board of TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc has outlined strategic initiatives.
Chairman, TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Jean-Philippe Torres, admitted at the company’s annual general meeting that the downstream petroleum market in Nigeria has been dramatically altered with the coming of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals (DPRP).
According to Torres, the structural shifts in the downstream architecture, erratic supply lines, and aggressive competitor pricing following the upscaling of domestic refining capacity negatively affected the company’s performance in 2025.
“Some operators decided to start price wars during a big part of the year, which had obviously a significant impact on our sales and also on the margins.
The volatility of the foreign exchange (forex) during the whole year also exposed the company to high and negative stock effects,” Torres stated.
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He outlined that the company would prioritise cost discipline and product optimisation over joining irrational market price wars.
“We work with one motto, which is operational excellence. We have to work with all stakeholders to make sure supply continues to be fluid, and manage our fixed costs in a very precise manner. Even if the environment is complicated, we keep investing in capital expenditures to have sustainable profitability on the long run,” Torres declared.
He assured the investing public that corrective measures are already yielding strong results.
“In the first quarter of this year, 2026, we have a very significant improvement of the profitability of the company, and it really makes us quite optimistic for the future,” Torres said.
Shareholders commended the company’s operational resilience during the 2025 financial year, while tasking the board to deploy concrete strategies to navigate market distortions triggered by new domestic refining dynamics.
At the virtual meeting, shareholders noted the historic performance of TotalEnergies and expressed their confidence in the board and management to drive the country through the challenging period.
TotalEnergies recorded a 25 percent drop in revenue and a 151 percent decline in profitability in 2025, preventing a dividend payout.
The Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON), comprising oil and gas producing communities, has raised the alarm over alleged attempts by certain individuals to sabotage the operations of Tantita Security Services Nigeria Limited, particularly in the oil rich Niger Delta region.
The HOSCON’s note of warning was contained in a letter to Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu under the signature of HRM Monday Whiskey, Ovie of Idjerhe Kingdom and Chairman of HOSCON.
In the letter, the HOSCON alerted the President to imminent crisis in the oil and gas sector if urgent steps were not taken to forestall it by checkmating the alleged sinister acts of sabotage against the security organisation.
The letter reads in part, “We the leadership of the Host Communities of Nigeria (HOSCON) Producing Oil & Gas write to specifically draw your attention to a well planned and orchestrated plot by some influential cabal at the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Ltd to deliberately cause disorder in the Niger Delta.
“Our intelligence from highly placed sources both in Abuja and across the Niger Delta is that since the oil cabals/bunkerers can no longer have their way in stealing crude oil in the region, they have perfected a new approach by deliberately starving the authorities of the hardworking Tantita Security Nigeria Limited of regular funding and thus creating unnecessary salary delays and other operational activities being carried out in the day-to-day activities of the oil pipeline security giant.
“As a result, staff and subcontractors of the organisation have not been paid for almost four months running, thereby causing grumbling and threats to down tools by workers. We strongly condemn this new plot and believe that it cannot be true because the sacrifices/risk that the authorities of Tantita Security Services Ltd have taken to get to where they are will be made useless by some selfish cabals who do not mean well for our country.
“We trust that as a father of the nation, these findings by the leadership of the Oil & Gas production Communities in the country will be given very serious attention, as delaying action could be an invitation to avoidable crises.”
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In addition, the HOSCON stated that the people of the Niger Delta deeply appreciate the professionalism and competence of the Tantita Security Services, as the environment and ecosystems were in a sorry state before the coming on board of the firm.
“No interest of individuals or groups can be more important than that of the entire country. Now that we are fully aware of the antics of the NNPC authorities to deliberately delay payments of services already rendered by Tantita Security Services Ltd so that they can disorganise their operations, the leadership of HOSCON will keep exposing all the underhand working against the success of this all important project.
“What we expect from all patriotic Nigerians, NNPC management inclusive, is support and undiluted encouragement, considering the daily hazards and threats being faced by Tantita Security workers.
“Finally, we strongly believe that in order for our country to be great again, sensitive national assignments like Tantita Security operations be given its rightful place in budget allocation,” the HOSCON averred.
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