About us


Who we are

 

African Books Collective (ABC) is an African owned, worldwide marketing and distribution outlet for books from Africa  - scholarly, literature and children's books. We also run the website readafricanbooks.com which profiles the work of African publishers and books.

ABC is a collective owned by its founder publishers. The founder publishers elect a five-member Council of Management which meets annually. The Council of Management is responsible for setting the collective’s strategy and for its representation in the wider book and publishing world.

ABC is a UK-registered not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. It has three UK directors who are legally responsible for the company. ABC seeks to be profit making on behalf of its publishers, and is non-profit making on its own behalf.

History

 

In 1985 a group of publishers met to address the constraints they were experiencing in marketing and distributing their books outside of their domestic markets. They founded ABC as a collective self-help initiative to strengthen their economic base and meet the needs of libraries and other book buyers. With initial support from funding agencies, trading began in 1989. Major remodelling of the collective took place in 2007, when it became self-financing. New opportunities afforded by the evolution of digital publishing and electronic books were seized upon, with ABC playing a key role in the digitisation of African cultural output. While adapting to changing markets and methodologies, ABC’s founding ethos and aims remain unchanged, and ABC remains a not-for-profit organisation on its own behalf.

ABC Participating Publishers

 

Botswana

Cameroon

Ethiopia

The Gambia

  • Centre for Media and Development Research in Africa (CENMEDRA), Bakau
  • Educational Services, Serekunda
  • Sunrise Publishers, Banjul

Ghana

  • Afram Publications (Ghana) Ltd, Accra
  • Africa Christian Press, Accra
  • Amanza, Accra
  • Asdan Vision Books, Accra
  • Educatioanal Logistics, Accra
  • Freedom Publications, Accra
  • Ghana Universities Press, Accra
  • Smartline Limted, Accra
  • Sub-Saharan Publishers, Accra
  • United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources, Accra
  • Woeli Publishing Services, Accra

Kenya

Liberia

Malawi

  • Kachere Series, Zomba
  • Livingstonia Press, Mzuzu
  • Luviri Press, Mzuzu
  • Montfort Media, Balaka
  • Mzuni Press, Mzuzu
  • TSM Press, Zomba

Mauritius

  • Editions Vizavi, Port Louis
  • University of Mauritius Press, Réduit

Morocco

  • Editions du Sirocco, Casablanca
  • Senso Unico Editions, Mohammedia

Mozambique

Namibia

Nigeria

  • African Heritage Press, Lagos
  • Alpha Crownes Publishing, Lagos
  • Baron's Cafe, Lagos
  • Bayero University Press, Kano
  • The Book Company Ltd., Lagos
  • Bookbuilders: Editions Africa, Ibadan
  • CSS Ltd, Lagos
  • Fourth Dimension Publishing Co. Ltd., Enugu
  • Frontier Press, Lagos
  • FrontPage Media, Lagos
  • Graduke Publishers, Ibadan
  • Handel Books, Eastern Nigeria
  • HEBN (Nigeria) plc, Ibadan

  • Human Change Communications Company, Lagos
  • Ibadan Cultural Studies Group, Ibadan

  • Ibadan University Press, Ibadan

  • Impeccable Publications
  • Kemuela Publications, Port Harcourt
  • Kraft Publications
  • Kwara State University Press, Malete
  • Maiyati Chambers, Lagos
  • Malthouse Press Ltd., Lagos
  • M & J Grand Orbit Communications, Port Harcourt
  • New Horn Press Ltd, Ibadan
  • Onyoma Research Publications, Port Harcourt
  • Paclerd Press Ltd, Benin City
  • Palmwine Publishing, Plateau State
  • Pekan Publishers Ltd, Owerri
  • Reamsworth Publishing, Ibadan
  • Safari Books, Ibadan
  • Saros International Publishers, Port Harcourt
  • SCRIBIO Publications, Ibadan
  • Spectrum Books Ltd., Ibadan
  • University Press, Ibadan
  • Urhobo Historical Society, New York & Lagos

Rwanda

  • Huza Press, Kigali

Senegal

  • African Renaissance, Dakar

Somaliland

South Africa

Sudan

  • Andariya, Khartoum

Swaziland

  • TTI Publishers, Manzini

Tanzania

Uganda

Zambia

  • Bookworld Publishers, Lusaka
  • Gadsden Publishers, Lusaka
  • The Lembani Trust, Zambia, Lusaka

Zimbabwe

  • Africa Talent Publishers, Masvingo
  • amabooks, Bulawayo
  • Amagugu Publishers, Bulawayo
  • Booklove Publishers, Gweru
  • GALZ, Harare
  • Joyce Jenje Makwenda Collection Archive, Harare
  • Legal Resources Foundation, Harare
  • Mwanaka Media and Publishing Pvt Ltd, Chitungwiza
  • Pigeon Press, Bulawayo
  • Southern Africa Printing & Publishing House, Harare
  • Southern African Research & Documentation Centre, Harare
  • Southern and Eastern African Trade, Information and Negotiations Institute, Harare
  • Storytime Promotions, Harare
  • University of Zimbabwe Press, Mount Pleasant
  • Weaver Press Ltd, Harare
  • Zimbabwe Publishing House, Harare

Others

  • Bellagio Publishing Network, UK
  • Cissus World Press, USA
  • eSwatini, UK
  • MeaBooks Inc, Canada
  • Suba Publishing, UK
  • Yintab Books (Nigeria), USA