Story by: Hadassah Egbedi, Ventures Africa | Artwork courtesy of: Ventures Africa
It is true what is said of necessity, of it being the mother of invention. No one would agree more with that proverb than an innovator and start-up founder like Okechukwu Ofili, whose frustration with the publishing and distribution industry in Nigeria propelled him to create OkadaBooks, an e-publishing platform that is revolutionising book publishing in Nigeria.
(Above) The OkadaBooks team.
“I see OkadaBooks being an Uber for authors.”
Prior to establishing the platform, Ofili was an engineer who wrote and made illustrations part-time. “… Because I was an engineer, when I faced publishing and distribution difficulties, instead of sitting down and complaining I said ‘how can we engineer a solution?’ and that’s how I stumbled upon OkadaBooks.” In an industry that is plagued by piracy, fraud and a dearth of adequate publishers and distributors, Ofili’s OkadaBooks is a breath of fresh air, the refreshing change that the industry so desperately needs.
In this exclusive interview with Ventures Africa, Ofili, who had recently quit his job to focus solely on growing his platform, discusses not just the challenges of running a start-up but also the fascinating surprises that make the hustle worth it.
To read the full article visit www.venturesafrica.com.
