NABU, a publisher specializing in multilingual children’s books, has teamed up with HP to launch the NABU HP Creative Lab in Nigeria. This initiative marks NABU’s official entry into the Nigerian market and aims to transform literacy among Nigerian children, while also advancing digital equity for families and educators.
The NABU HP Creative Lab is designed to foster a love of reading and improve access to quality educational materials for children across Nigeria. Speaking at the launch, NABU’s Global Director of Operations, Cuthbert Ayodeji Onikute, highlighted the importance of providing culturally relevant books in multiple languages to support children’s learning.
“NABU is a tech-enabled publisher that offers children culturally relevant bilingual stories,” Onikute said. “Our goal is to enhance children’s reading and language development while ensuring that every child has equitable access to educational resources. We train local creators to publish books in underrepresented languages, making sure that every child has free access to the books they need to learn to read.”
The stories published by NABU are available for free on the NABU app, web reader, and in print, allowing children to learn in their mother tongue. This approach not only improves literacy but also boosts children’s confidence and pride in their culture. By 2030, NABU aims to reach 25 million children, aligning with HP’s global mission to accelerate digital equity.
HP has been a key supporter of NABU’s mission since 2021. The partnership has already led to the creation of Creative Labs in Rwanda, the Philippines, Miami, and now Nigeria. These labs are equipped with HP technology, allowing authors and illustrators to create hundreds of children’s books each year in native languages. The launch of the NABU HP Creative Lab in Nigeria is part of a larger effort to increase literacy access across Africa.
Since its founding, NABU has made a significant impact worldwide, reaching over 7.5 million children, training more than 2,500 teachers, and publishing over 1,000 titles in 21 languages. The new NABU Nigeria collection includes 40 Igbo/English, 20 Hausa/English, and 20 Yoruba/English books, all of which are freely available on the NABU app and web reader. NABU’s approach is unique because it offers culturally relevant content in multiple formats, ensuring that every child can learn and grow through engaging storytelling.
Emmanuel Asika, HP Nigeria’s Country Head, emphasized the importance of this initiative in closing the digital divide. “At HP, we are dedicated to bridging the digital equity gap. The NABU HP Creative Lab in Nigeria is a vital step in our mission to advance education and literacy,” Asika said.
The partnership between NABU and HP represents an important step forward in promoting literacy in Nigeria and across Africa. By providing free, culturally relevant books in local languages, this initiative empowers children to learn in a way that is meaningful to them, fostering a lifelong love of reading and learning.
To support this effort, the public is encouraged to download the NABU app and join the movement to change lives through literacy. For more information, visit [NABU’s website](https://www.nabu.org/).
