AGP Executive Report

Publishing & Awards: Qatar’s Arab Book Award says it received 835 nominations for its 2026 fourth edition, with 682 entries in the single-book category and 153 in the achievement category, spanning linguistic, literary, critical, historical and Islamic studies. Media Freedom & Law: Nigeria’s SERAP and the Nigerian Guild of Editors urge lawmakers to reject the Foreign Aids (Regulation, Transparency and Disclosure) Bill, warning it could tighten state control over civil society and independent media. Regional Peacekeeping Books: ECOWAS unveiled four publications on its peacekeeping and peacemaking interventions, including “Fighting Bushfires” and other after-action reviews covering West Africa’s conflict responses. Digital Publishing & AI: A push is growing for AI firms to share revenue with publishers, as concerns mount that automated systems are siphoning traffic and destabilising journalism. South Africa Press Case: Unisa’s bid to gag journalist ednews.africa failed, after the court rejected an urgent interdict aimed at silencing reporting. Uganda Finance Oversight: Uganda’s NSSF faces scrutiny after an Auditor General report flagged weak oversight of associate companies and collateral gaps in a Uganda Clays loan.

Election Logistics: Nigeria’s INEC says 2027 ballot papers and result sheets will be printed locally, then delivered to the Central Bank of Nigeria for safekeeping and distribution close to polling day. Education Access: JAMB extends the deadline for 2021–2026 admission offer candidates to accept or reject on its CAPS portal, pushing the final date to September 30. Publishing & Learning Policy: Publishers ask a court to halt NERDC’s textbook ranking policy, arguing it could disrupt how learning materials are selected and priced. Health Systems: Malawi’s referral hospitals are in gradual collapse, with broken equipment, power failures and long waits for specialist care. Arts & Books: A new book spotlights modernist jewellery pioneer Art Smith, while Morocco’s AMDH reports racist “gangs” brutalising migrants in Ceuta amid official complicity. Gospel Music Industry: Mindustry Conference opens registration for its Lagos edition, with Warner Music Africa/Africori partnering to back gospel creatives.

Ghana Book Fair Push: Pegasus Publishing used the 23rd Ghana International Book Fair to showcase school titles (Economics, English, Biology, General Science, Creative Arts) plus storybooks aimed at boosting early reading and learning. Reading Culture Drive: Ghana’s Tourism Minister urged citizens to build a strong reading culture as a tool for national transformation, linking it to human capital and long-term development. Morocco School Access: Morocco’s education ministry tightened monitoring of student attendance and textbook supply for the 2026-27 year, ordering classes to start on time and absences to be tracked daily. Publishing & Policy: The EU formally challenged Sappi’s $1.66bn plan to create Europe’s biggest paper producer, raising competition concerns that could affect paper used for magazines and books. Journalism Fellowship: Nigeria’s DR-TB Media Fellowship opened for applications, training journalists to produce better reporting on drug-resistant tuberculosis. Book Launch Tribute: In Nigeria, Rev. Banji Oladipo paid tribute to late publisher Dotun Oladipo, noting he wrote a foreword for his book and highlighting the launch of “HOLD ON.” Education Admin Update: Nigeria’s JAMB extended the deadline for candidates to accept or reject admission offers to Sept. 30.

Media Leadership Shake-up (Kenya): Nation Media Group appoints six new board directors, including veteran journalist Julie Gichuru, after Rostam Aziz’s Taarifa Ltd bought Aga Khan Fund’s 54.08% stake—signalling a push to navigate media and digital change. Publishing & Culture (Nigeria/Global): Kemi Lawson’s new book House Proud spotlights Black domestic architecture and identity across continents, while Les Thomas brings working-class history songs back home after a UK tour featuring Blackwell’s Oxford. Public Institutions (Nigeria): One year after the federal government promised to restart Nigeria’s long-stalled National Library project, the site remains inactive, raising questions about funding and delivery. Accountability & Policy (Nigeria): A commentary asks what Nigeria’s N4.65trn bank recapitalisation actually bought for the economy—beyond stronger banks and higher profits. Health & Literacy (DRC): A report on sleeping sickness elimination efforts highlights how mobile teams still hunt remaining cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Media & Publishing (Zimbabwe): Zimpapers wins best media/publishing exhibit stand at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show. Books & Ethics (UK): A story warns of “destructive scanning” of second-hand books by tech firms to feed AI training, sparking backlash from booksellers. Mental Health (Nigeria): Nigerian Mental Health launches an open-access policy tracker to monitor implementation of the National Mental Health Act, including the missing dedicated department and Mental Health Fund. Book Industry Events (Ghana): JoySports Invitational Tournament 2026 spotlights corporate participation and community networking at the University of Ghana.

Online Publishing & Media: Nigeria’s Eagle Online founder Dotun Oladipo will be laid to rest after funeral rites set for Sept. 10 (service of songs) and Sept. 11 (burial) at DayStar Church, Oregun, Ikeja, as GOCOP leaders and state officials mourn his role in shaping Nigeria’s online publishing. Education & Access: JAMB says missing names on matriculation lists usually come from not accepting admission on CAPS, institutions failing to forward verified details, or candidates not printing original result slips and admission letters; it also shared a video guide on accepting/rejecting offers. School Supplies: Morocco’s education ministry orders schools to start classes Sept. 7 even if some students arrive late, while monitoring textbook and supply availability through provincial teams. Learning Tech: South Africa’s Maski launches as a free, WhatsApp-based, multilingual AI tutor aligned to CAPS for Grades 4–12, with support from Springbok star Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu. Publishing Policy: Nigeria’s publishers ask a court to halt NERDC’s textbook ranking policy. Books & Culture: Korea donates 1,000 Kiswahili-translated folktale books to Tanzania’s education institute to boost reading and cultural exchange.

Media Accountability: Nigeria’s Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) is being urged to “reclaim” its role as a watchdog and agenda setter, with former president Sani Zaria calling for more investigative reporting and stronger scrutiny of sports administration. Journalism Loss: Nigerian media groups including the Nigerian Guild of Editors and MAPOLY/IMPCMS mourn Eagle Online publisher Dotun Oladipo, describing his death as a major blow to professional, ethical digital journalism. Safety & Extremism: UK broadcaster LBC reports it has found Islamic State supporters sharing detailed arson guidance online, including advice on exhausting emergency services and evading detection. Publishing & Training: The US Consulate in Lagos wrapped an AI-focused capacity-building programme for Akwa Ibom journalists, training them to use digital and AI tools for finding, verifying and reporting stories. Books for Families: Nigerian author Dolly Ohanyere launches a six-book series, “The Becoming Collection,” aimed at identity, purpose and healthier relationships at home. Education & Reading: Kenya’s mixed 4x400m relay squad heads to the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, while separate coverage highlights reading campaigns and book fairs across the region.

Research Integrity Survey: Springer Nature, the African Academy of Sciences and ASSAf launched a continent-wide survey to map how researchers in Africa experience research integrity training and support, aiming to shape better systems for trustworthy science. Publishing & AI Revenue: Industry voices are pushing AI firms to share revenue with publishers, warning that without fair deals journalism traffic and sustainability could collapse. Uganda Ebola Update: Uganda declared its Ebola outbreak over after 42 days without a new confirmed case, following discharge of the last patient on July 16. Education & Books: Uganda’s “One Million Books” campaign launch highlighted the need to keep children in school despite poverty, early marriage and teenage pregnancy. Kenya Reading Habits: A Communications Authority survey found Gen Z and Gen Y are Kenya’s strongest newspaper readers, driven by digital access. CANEX Publishing Prize: Afreximbank’s CANEX Book Factory named the 2026 CANEX Prize for Publishing jury ahead of CANEX WKND in Lagos. Media Industry Loss: Nigeria’s online publishing community mourned Eagle Online founder Dotun Oladipo, with multiple media bodies citing his role in digital journalism. MoMA Africa Art: MoMA announced “Freedom and Futures: Emancipatory Art in Africa, 1956–1982” for 2027, spotlighting how art tracked decolonization.

AI & Publishing: Publishers and industry players are urging AI firms to strike revenue-sharing deals, warning that AI summaries and reduced click-through are hollowing out journalism’s business model. National Libraries & Knowledge: Nigeria’s Federal Government, via TETFund, is pushing to complete the long-stalled National Library headquarters in Abuja, with the FEC approving N118.309bn and total needs put around N155bn. Book Publishing & Training: At UPSI, ten academics published full-length books within 48 hours after a “write your book in a weekend” workshop using Lulu.com, highlighting a new route for turning research into print. Media Loss (Nigeria): President Tinubu and major press bodies mourn Dotun Oladipo, former Punch political editor and founder/publisher of The Eagle Online, calling his work a boost for digital journalism and democracy. Museums & Community Corrections: London’s Horniman Museum faces a community-led push to fix SWANA collection labels, with Hekayyatna inviting submissions until Sept 15 for a Dec 3 exhibition. Tanzania Politics: CCM has nominated Energy Minister Deogratius John Ndejembi for the vice-presidential vacancy after Emmanuel Nchimbi’s resignation.

Media Industry Loss: Nigeria’s media community mourns Dotun Oladipo, publisher and managing editor of The Eagle Online, with tributes from President Tinubu, Lagos Gov. Sanwo-Olu, IPI Nigeria and GOCOP highlighting his role in building online journalism. Courtroom & Publishing Rights: In Tanzania’s treason trial, Tundu Lissu’s cross-examination turns to whether his speech was published online and who controlled the recording and streaming. Education Funding Debate: Nigeria’s Education Minister Olatunji Alausa calls BEA scholarships abroad a waste of public funds, arguing Nigeria can expand local capacity instead. Energy & Public Assets: Nigeria launches RAMCO to manage publicly funded renewable energy assets after only 3 of 7 solar hybrid projects were found usable, pointing to maintenance gaps. Tech for SMEs: Zoho and SMEDAN plan N20bn in tech credits for about 25,000 Nigerian MSMEs, pairing software access with training and support. Books & Culture: A Lagos history collector, Raphael James, runs a free public library and private museum open to all, built from decades of Nigerian history books, coins and stamps. Climate Justice: A new study warns children in south Asia and west Africa face the biggest increases in dangerous humid heat exposure as climate change accelerates.

Kenya Media Fact-Check: Africa Check says a viral screenshot of Kenya’s Star newspaper claiming Uhuru Kenyatta secretly met DCP-linked politicians doesn’t match the column’s usual format and can’t be verified in Star’s records. Nigeria Politics & Publishing/Media: Ogun 2027 aspirant Abayomi Hunye says APC suspended him but still sold him the ₦50m nomination form; APC counters with a petition to police and DSS over alleged impersonation. Nigeria Media Loss: Veteran journalist and Eagle Online publisher Dotun Oladipo dies at 56, after a sudden health emergency. Nigeria Retail Digitisation: SalesUnbox, a self-funded SaaS for medium-scale retailers, says it now serves 5,000 businesses with tools for ordering, inventory, accounting and CRM. South Africa Elections Logistics: IEC warns parties and independents not to wait until the last minute for 2026 local government nominations, stressing ballot printing depends on finalised submissions. South Africa Vehicle Safety: Regulators publish draft tougher minimum safety standards for new cars for public comment, aiming to align with international passive safety rules. Books & Faith: Mission Cry ships free Bibles, Christian books and seminary materials to Namibia. South Africa Space Education: SANSA launches a learner competition to design the country’s first official space mascot.

Education Budget Scrutiny: Nigeria’s National Assembly allegedly tucked away at least N29.444bn for classroom, hostel, library, ICT and materials projects across many states inside the 2026 budget for the Federal Co-operative College, Oji River—raising questions about fit with the institution’s mandate. Publishing & Media Freedom: Tanzania’s VP Emmanuel Nchimbi resigned after a week of controversy that included a six-month suspension of critical newspaper MwanaHALISI’s licence, spotlighting pressure on the press. Cyber Reporting Ethics: Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority urged journalists to avoid publishing unverified cybercrime claims or unresolved vulnerabilities that could help criminals. Infrastructure Pipeline: South Africa’s Construction Book (110 projects) and a broader R264bn pipeline aim to move infrastructure from “page to procurement,” with quarterly reporting promised. Civil Service Books: Nigeria’s FCSC chair Prof. Tunji Olaopa backed knowledge-driven reform as two memoirs by Walson-Jack were publicly presented. Terror Finance Watch: Nigeria’s NFIU says terrorists used social-media crowdfunding via foreign facilitators and small donations to evade AML alerts. One-Stop Reading Culture: Sharjah Book Authority highlighted its expanding bookstore operations across the Arab world and Africa, reinforcing the region’s push for wider access to books.

Moon Microbes & Contamination: NASA says Earth microbes carried by astronauts could survive in shadowed lunar areas near the South Pole, raising new concerns for future Moon and Mars life-hunting missions. Cultural Memory in Print: A Nigerian-focused commentary argues that Africa must fight “cultural amnesia” by preserving languages, stories and traditions alongside modern learning. Nigerian Publishing Meets AI Film: A father and son are adapting Kenya-set novel Sibiloi into an AI film, turning chapters into short AI-generated video for digital audiences. Fuel Subsidy Politics: Nigeria’s opposition figures keep trading blows over 2027 fuel subsidy restoration, with Peter Obi rejecting a “restore” plan unless costs and safeguards are clear. Education & Admissions: Nigeria’s JAMB and Federal Unity Colleges both publish step-by-step guidance for candidates to check and print admission slips via their portals. Graphite Offtake Deal: Madagascar’s Maniry graphite project gets its first binding offtake commitment, a sign of growing investor confidence in Africa’s critical minerals pipeline. Whistleblower vs Regulator: South Africa’s civil aviation whistleblower firing sparks calls for an independent probe into SACAA’s handling of crash-related concerns.

Education Access & Admissions: Nigeria’s Federal Unity Colleges have released the 2026/2027 JSS1 admission list, with parents urged to check via the FME posting portal and print slips for confirmation at the assigned school. Youth Jobs & Skills: South Africa’s ANC says it will launch 10,000 apprenticeships, learnerships and graduate internships across ANC-led municipalities as unemployment remains high, especially among youth. Publishing & Language Policy: Algeria is shifting foreign-language teaching so English becomes the sole foreign language in primary Year 3 for 2026/2027, pushing French back to Year 4. Culture & Reading Spaces: A Lagos op-ed argues that “third spaces” like bookstores and community venues are costly to sustain but crucial for literary life and belonging. Conservation & Accountability: African Parks faces renewed scrutiny after admitting ranger abuses in Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park, as Prince Harry steps down from its board. Books & Media Business: Heresy Press (Skyhorse) has acquired K. Riva Levinson’s second memoir, Misadventures on K Street, for a Feb 2027 release.

Publishing & Media: LEADERSHIP Newspapers group news editor Sunday Isuwa has authored Digital Shift in Nigeria’s Newspaper Industry, tracing how digital tools are reshaping newsroom work, journalism practice, business models and audience engagement; launch is set for Oct 29 in Abuja. Books & Culture: British Council Ghana backed two Ghanaian creatives—fashion entrepreneur Awura Abena Agyeman and writer/cultural curator Emma Ofosua Donkor—for UK fashion and literature exchange programmes. Political Transparency: SERAP has urged Nigeria’s INEC to disclose whether it has set political contribution limits for 2027 and to publish how it will monitor and enforce compliance, including cash, in-kind and digital/social-media funding. Infrastructure & Investment: Infrastructure South Africa says many of South Africa’s R2trn strategic projects are still stuck at feasibility, with regulatory “unblocking” flagged as key to unlocking private capital. Africa in the Spotlight: Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha rewrote the men’s half-marathon world record in Buenos Aires with 56:51.

Political Finance Transparency: Nigeria’s SERAP urges INEC to disclose whether it has set and published limits on political donations and campaign spending for the 2027 elections, including how it will track cash, digital/social-media funding, third-party spending and intermediaries. Media & Child Safety: UNICEF and Nigerian journalists push newsrooms to adopt stronger child protection and safety rules, including avoiding graphic details and re-traumatising interviews. Publishing & Literacy: South Africa mourns seven-year-old author/illustrator and Nal’ibali literacy ambassador Tlotlo Tsheka, who published three books by age six. Professional Publishing Ecosystem: Kenya’s Tally MSME Honours spotlights the role of accountants in helping small businesses grow—an indirect boost for publishers and book entrepreneurs. Library Systems: King County (US) unveils a major new library sorting machine that helps distribute millions of items across branches. Book Culture & Representation: A piece critiques how Muslim women are often caricatured in English-language fiction, arguing for more authentic portrayals. Sports Books Angle: Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha regains the half-marathon world record in Buenos Aires, adding another headline for runners and sports readers.

Manga Expansion: HarperCollins unveils its KAZÉ US imprint, planning 5-8 titles in 2027 and up to 25-30 by 2029, with an initial English manga title “SOL Sistah” and a promise not to use AI translations. Publishing & Media Ethics: UNICEF and Nigerian media groups train 40 journalists in child-sensitive, ethical reporting in Port Harcourt, stressing protection, privacy and trauma-informed storytelling. Books & Learning: Packt Publishing pre-orders a new AI guide, “The AI-Powered Data Analyst,” by Lagos data analyst Gabriel James, aimed at helping African professionals apply AI in daily workflows. Research & Universities: Egypt’s 45 universities enter THE Impact Rankings, with standout results across energy, water, innovation and partnerships. Security & Rights: South African Friends of Israel reports a 292% jump in documented Christian killings across Africa in Q2 2026, naming DRC, Nigeria, Mozambique and Burkina Faso as key clusters. Governance & Access: A US judge strikes down Trump’s visa ban affecting Nigeria and 74 other countries, a move with major implications for mobility and study.