FG urged to remove import duties on Books, make publications affordable for students

The Federal Government has been urged to remove or reduce import duties on books and printing materials to make quality publications more affordable and accessible to Nigerian students.

The appeal was made by Orok Otu Duke, Commissioner representing Cross River State at the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), during the reading and launch of five books he authored in Abuja on Thursday.

Speaking at the event, Duke said import duties had contributed to the rising cost of books published outside Nigeria, making them increasingly unaffordable for students who depend on such materials for their education.

He also expressed concern over the decline of indigenous publishing companies, attributing their difficulties to the high cost of importing materials required for book production.

According to him, publishing a book outside the country could cost at least $20 per copy, a price he said many Nigerian students would struggle to afford.

Duke recalled that books were relatively cheaper when bookshops such as Ife and Abiola were widespread, noting that the country now had limited access to many of the publications that were once readily available.

He said the situation had made it difficult for students to acquire the numerous books required for their studies.

“I would like to say that for you to have your works printed outside the country, published outside the country, you will be talking about a minimum of maybe $20 a book. And our children, those in school here, may not be able to afford those books,” he said.

He added: “So I will use this opportunity to call for government intervention. Government must step in to remove import duties or reduce them to make them available to children.”

The NDDC commissioner also explained that some of his newly launched books focus on the Nigerian Civil War, particularly events and experiences in the South-South region.

He said the publications were part of his efforts to document historical accounts and ensure that the experiences of people in the region were preserved for future generations.

Duke stressed that Nigerians must take responsibility for telling their own stories, warning that failure to document their history could allow others to shape the country’s historical narrative.

“So it is simple as, if you don’t tell your story, another person will take the glory. It’s bad enough that we don’t tell our stories. So the stories about our collective hunt will always be written by another person,” he said.

He further explained that he chose to write in a language with wider reach than his indigenous language to make his works accessible to a broader audience.