National Stakeholder Conference on Open Access Book Publishing

6 Oct 2025, 08:30 → 7 Oct 2025, 17:30 Africa/Lagos

Conference Centre, National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), Abuja

Reclaiming Academic Sovereignty

Nigeria’s National Summit on Open Access Book Publishing

This national summit brings together authors, editors, librarians, university leaders, funders, and policymakers to advance a coordinated, community-led framework for Open Access (OA) book publishing in Nigeria.

Theme: From Pilots to Policy – Advancing a National Framework for Open Access Books in Nigeria. The event bridges TETFund-supported Academic Publishing Centres (APCs)—traditionally focused on print—with the BookHub initiative, supported by the Open Book Collective (OBC), which has piloted digital-first, open-source collaborative publishing through workshops at FUTMinna and UNILAG.

Strategic Alignment - The summit offers an opportunity to explore how BookHub could serve as a core component of the evolving TERAS ecosystem supporting digital publishing infrastructure that aligns with shared national priorities for equity, sustainability, and global visibility.

What to Expect - With a focus on Diamond OA (no author or reader fees), the programme features:

• Keynotes from national and international leaders
• Demonstrations of collaborative publishing platforms
• Hands-on workshops on metadata and editorial workflows
• Policy sprints aimed at national OA adoption

Monday, 6 October

08:30 → 09:00 Registration & Networking Coffee

09:00 → 09:10 Welcome Address

Speaker: Prof. Olufemi A. Peters (NOUN VC)

Open Access Publishing VCs Speech.pdf

09:10 → 09:25 Strengthening Nigeria’s Academic Publishing Ecosystem – The Role of the APC Network in National Development

The Opening Address will spotlight the government’s leadership in transforming Nigeria’s academic publishing ecosystem. It will highlight how the Academic Publishing Centre (APC) network advances national capacity for digital publishing and drives Nigeria’s broader development priorities through the TERAS ecosystem.

Speaker: Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono (Executive Secretary, TETFUND)

Opening Address Speech of Arc. Sonny S. T. Echono

09:25 → 09:40 Advancing Inclusive Knowledge Access: Diamond OA and the Global Open Science Agenda

UNESCO will highlight how Diamond Open Access underpins the global Open Science agenda by advancing equity, strengthening bibliodiversity, and amplifying the participation of scholars from the Global South. The talk will explore how community-led, non-commercial publishing models safeguard knowledge as a public good and foster a more inclusive and sustainable scholarly ecosystem.

Speaker: Dr Enang Moma (UNESCO)

09:40 → 10:00 Goodwill Messages: NUC, CVCNU, NBTE, NCCE, FUTMINNA VC, NAL, NAS, NAE

10:00 → 10:30 Keynote: The Evolution and Future of the TETFund Book Development Project, with a Focus on Digital Publishing Opportunities

Emeritus Prof. Charles Aworh will trace the history of the TETFund Book Development Project and its impact on higher education in Nigeria. He will highlight how the project has supported scholarly publishing, while also examining the challenges of sustainability, quality, and distribution in a rapidly changing knowledge ecosystem..

Speaker: Prof. Charles Ogugua Aworh (Former Chair, Technical Advisory Group, TETFUND)

The Evolution and Future of the TETFund Book Development Project, with a Focus on Digital Publishing Opportunities.pdf

10:30 → 11:00 Keynote: Global Perspectives on Diamond OA & Sustainable OA Book Models

Speaker: Prof. Joe Deville (Managing Director, Open Book Collective)

Open access books-If not now, when_Prof Joe Deville.pdf

11:00 → 11:30 Group Photo / Coffee / Health Break

11:30 → 12:00 From Pilots to Policy – Building a National OA Book Framework

This presentation will showcase the Academic Publishing Centre (APC) framework for Open Access Book Development in Nigeria, highlighting progress from the FUTMinna BookHub pilot and sharing insights from the collaborative authorship case study at UNILAG. Together, these experiences will illustrate how innovative local initiatives are shaping Nigeria’s pathway towards a coordinated national Open Access book policy.

Speakers: Prof. Kovo Abdulsalami (APC Director FUTMinna), Dr Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan (University Librarian Maritime University & Co-Lead, Open Access Book Publishing Initiative FUTMinna)

From Pilots to Policy – Building a National OA Book Framework_Prof Kovo Abdusalami and Dr Fatimah Aduldayan.pdf

12:00 → 12:30 Regional Collaboration for Open Science and Diamond OA Publishing

Drawing on the LIBSENSE initiative and WACREN’s regional programmes, this talk situates Nigeria’s Diamond OA book publishing efforts within a broader African context. It will highlight how shared infrastructure (repositories, identifiers, publishing platforms), collaborative governance, and capacity-building are enabling institutions across the region to advance Open Science.

Speaker: Omo Oaiya (WACREN Chief Srategy Officer / LIBSENSE Coordinator)

Regional collaboration for Open Science and Diamond OA Publishing .pdf

12:30 → 13:30 Lunch

13:30 → 14:30 Panel: Stakeholder Perspectives on National Coordination for Diamond OA Book Publishing

This panel examines how Nigeria can transition from scattered OA book pilots to a cohesive Diamond OA ecosystem. Funders, regulators, publishers, and librarians will discuss governance, TERAS alignment, and incentives for valuing local scholarship.

Speakers: Prof. Yakubu Ochefu (Former Secretary-General CVCNU), Prof. Yetunde Zaid (APC South-West Chair UNILAG), Engr, Joseph Odo (Director, Information & Communication Technology TETFUND), Dr Joshua Atah (CEO NgREN), Prof. Joe Deville (Open Book Collective)

14:30 → 15:00 Sharing OA Publishing Experiences & Lessons Learned I

Participants in the BookHub pilot exchange insights from institutional OA publishing initiatives, highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons for Diamond OA.

Speaker: Dr Mojisola Shodipe⁩ (APC Director, UNILAG)

15:00 → 15:30 Day 1 Wrap-up

Tuesday, 7 October

09:00 → 09:30 Building Global Trust in Nigerian Open Access Books: DOAB’s Role in the APC Framework

Speaker: Ms Mary-Felix Maina (General Manager, DOAB)

Building Global Trust in Nigerian Open Access Books_PPT_DOAB_MaryFelix_09102025.pdf

09:30 → 10:00 Strengthening OA Book Discoverability through Open Metadata Workflows

Speaker: Dr Vincent W.J. van Gerven Oei (CEO, Thoth Open Metadata)

Open Metadata Management and Dissemination with Thoth

10:00 → 10:30 Q&A Session

10:30 → 11:00 Coffee / Health Break

11:00 → 12:30 Breakout Session: From Policy to Practice: Building Nigeria’s Diamond OA Book Ecosystem

An interactive session where participants develop strategies to embed the APC Framework into Nigeria’s higher education system. Breakout groups will address policy, infrastructure, and capacity, shaping a roadmap for a sustainable and inclusive Diamond OA book ecosystem.

Speakers: Prof. Grace Jokthan (ACETEL, NOUN), Dr Fatimah Abduldayan (Director, Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning & Co-Lead, Open Access Book Publishing Initiative FUTMinna)

12:30 → 13:30 Panel: Balancing Openness and Rights: Intellectual Property & Data Protection in Diamond OA Book Publishing

This panel examines the balance between openness and the protection of authors’ rights, institutional assets, and sensitive data. Panellists will debunk OA myths and show how Diamond OA aligns with copyright, Creative Commons, and data protection in the Nigerian and African context.

Speakers: Prof. Charles Uwadia (Chair, Board of Trustees, Eko-Konnect), Prof. Christine Ofulue (Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Technology, Innovation and Research, NOUN), Dr Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan (Director, Centre for Open Distance and e-Learning & Co-Lead, Open Access Book Publishing Initiative FUTMinna), Dr Tolu Pius-Fadipe (Head, Research and Development, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC))

13:30 → 14:30 Lunch

14:30 → 16:00 Breakout Session: Rethinking Research Assessment for Open Access and Quality

This session will explore how current research assessment practices, often focused on publication counts and impact factors, undervalue local scholarship and limit Diamond OA adoption. Participants will discuss principles and practical steps for more responsible, inclusive, and open evaluation systems.

Speakers: Dr Chiedozie Godian Ike (AAU), Dr Sadiat Adetoro Salau (Research Support Librarian, FUTMinna)

Rethinking Research Assessment for OA.pdf

16:00 → 16:30 Sharing OA Publishing Experiences & Lessons Learned II

Participants in the BookHub pilot exchange insights from institutional OA publishing initiatives, highlighting successes, challenges, and lessons for Diamond OA.

16:30 → 17:00 Coffee / Health Break

17:00 → 17:30 Closing Ceremony

Speakers: Prof. Olubiyi Adewale (Director, NOUN Press), Prof. Kovo Abdulsalami (APC Director FUTMinna), Dr Fatimah Jibril Abduldayan (University Librarian Maritime University & Co-Lead, Open Access Book Publishing Initiative FUTMinna)