IPA Africa Seminars — Gbadega Adedapo

Landmark Events

IPA Africa Seminar Series

The first dedicated engagement between the International Publishers Association and the African continent

The IPA Africa Seminar Series represents a historic milestone in global publishing. For the first time since the International Publishers Association was founded in 1896, the organization held dedicated regional seminars focused entirely on Africa's publishing challenges and opportunities.

Gbadega Adedapo was instrumental in making this happen — he raised the need for capacity development in Africa during IPA Executive Committee meetings, which birthed the entire seminar series. He then co-organized and opened both landmark events.

First Edition

Lagos, Nigeria — May 9, 2018

Eko Hotels and Suites • 200+ Delegates • 6 Panels

Opening Address

Gbadega opened the seminar as President of the Nigerian Publishers Association and member of the IPA Executive Committee. He estimated the African publishing industry's annual turnover at around one billion US dollars and called on participants to "shout louder about its value."

Warning about piracy, he paraphrased Chinua Achebe: "If piracy is not tackled, Things Fall Apart." He called on participants to develop a Lagos Action Plan to carry the African publishing industry forward.

The seminar was held on the sidelines of the Nigeria International Book Fair at the University of Lagos (May 7-12, 2018).

Keynote Speaker

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

One of Africa's most celebrated novelists and public intellectuals delivered the keynote address — a powerful statement about the importance of African voices in global publishing.

The Six Panels

Panel 1: Publishing in the 21st Century: The Socio-economic Contribution of the Publishing Industry in Africa

Panel 2: Strengthening Educational Publishing in Africa

Panel 3: Bringing the Voice of African Writers, Publishers and Content Creators to the World

Panel 4: The Role of Technology in Overcoming Illiteracy and Promoting a Reading Culture

Panel 5: Addressing Freedom to Publish Challenges in Africa

Panel 6: Enhancing Enforcement of Copyright and Intellectual Property (IP) Laws

Notable Attendees

Dr Michiel Kolman

IPA President — opened with remarks on the connected nature of global publishing

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi

Emirates Publishers Association President, IPA Executive Committee — closed proceedings

Trevor Ncube (Zimbabwe)

2007 Prix Voltaire recipient — spoke on freedom to publish panel

Kristenn Einarsson

Chair, IPA Freedom to Publish Committee

Outcome

The seminar produced the Lagos Action Plan 2018 — a comprehensive roadmap with 5 Transformation Goals for African publishing. Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi announced that the Kenya Publishers Association would host the next seminar in Nairobi. Read more about the Lagos Action Plan →

Nairobi, Kenya — June 14-15, 2019

Theme: "Africa Rising"

The second IPA Africa Seminar was hosted by the Kenya Publishers Association in Nairobi. It built on the momentum of Lagos and moved from planning to action — signing partnerships, securing funding, and launching concrete programmes.

Key Outcomes

$1 Million+ Secured

Dubai Cares committed over $1 Million to the African Publishing Innovation Fund (APIF) — a 4-year grant programme for African publishing innovations.

MOUs Signed

Formal partnerships with APNET (African Publishers Network) and ADEA (Association for Development of Education in Africa).

Digital Reading Campaign

Gbadega called for "a campaign of acceptability for digital reading" — described as ahead of most African publishing leaders.

Grant Recipients Met

Prospective APIF grant recipients were met and shortlisted for the first round of funding.

The Group Photo

L-R: Anges Felix Ndakpri (Ivory Coast, ASSEDI); Brian Wafawarowa (South Africa, PASA); John O. Asein (Nigeria, Copyright Commission); Samuel Kolawole (Nigeria, APNET); Hugo Andreas Setzer (Mexico, IPA President); Bodour Al Qasimi (UAE, IPA Vice President, Kalimat Group); Gbadega Adedapo (Nigeria, NPA President, CEO Rasmed Publications); Lawrence Njagi (Kenya, KPA); Ernest Oppong (Ghana, APNET); Jose Borghino (Australia, IPA Secretary General).

Legacy & Continuing Impact

The IPA Africa Seminar Series set in motion a chain of events that continues to shape African publishing:

APIF Grants (2020-2024)

Multiple rounds of funding to African publishing innovations. By 2021, 5 projects received $170,000, projected to impact 11 million+ young Africans.

IPA Academy

Free professional development courses launched for publishers worldwide, with African publishers as key beneficiaries.

InSPIRe Initiative

IPA's pandemic recovery programme, directly inspired by the collaborative model established at the African seminars.

2024 Review

IPA published a comprehensive review in October 2024 documenting the Lagos Action Plan's ongoing influence on African publishing development.