By Prisca Sam-Duru

 Organisers of Nigeria’s mega book fair, the 23-year-old Nigeria International Book Fair, NIBF, are set to hold this year’s edition from May 8 to 10, 2024.

The spotlight according to a statement from the organisers, Nigerian Book Fair Trust this time around is on basic education. 

The book fair, which is billed to hold this year at Yard 158 Event Arena, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos will also feature a plethora of other activities that include the Tertiary Education Summit. The theme for the flagship activity, the International Conference is ‘Universal Basic Education and the Book Ecosystem: Setting the Agenda’, with the keynote address to be delivered by Prof. Olufemi Victor Adeoluwa, the Vice Chancellor of Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology. While the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr Hamid Bobboyi, is billed to be the Chairman and Chief Host.

The Honourable Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, will be physically present at the conference as Special Guest of Honour. For the Tertiary Education Summit, the Vice Chancellor of University of Calabar, Prof. Florence Obi, is slated to be the Keynote Speaker. She will speak on: ‘Addressing the Brain Drain Crisis in Nigeria’. Prof. Lilian Salami, the Vice Chancellor of University of Benin and Chair of the Committee of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities is the Chief Host.

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 The Summit wil also be chaired by the Founder, Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof. Jide Owoeye. The likes of Mrs Yemi Adamolekun, the Executive Director, Enough is Enough Project and many other erudite scholars from across the tiers of tertiary education in Nigeria will also speak at the Summit.

The book fair will also feature a Publishers Workshop on: Building Prosperity through the Exploration of Related Rights of Books for Sustainable Development, Booksellers Conference on: Succession Planning, Talent Management and Intergenerational Businesses in Nigeria, Readers Parley on: Nurturing a Life Long Reading Habit among Youths: Experiences, Challenges, Solutions and Strategies.

Authors Groove and a study base product launch by a foremost book publishing firm in Nigeria will not be left out.  All the activities of the book fair will be streamed live on social media.