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Getting Kids Excited in the Reading Culture via eReaders

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Anyone alarmed at the poor reading culture of our teaming young population? More alarming is their total lack of interest and respect for books…all they’re interested in are computer games, mobile phones and television. But it wasn’t always so. Reading was and still remains fun for some of us (they now brand our breed old school).
Recently, while discussing with my teen daughter that at form three I had completed reading 30 James Hadley Chase  and five Harold Robbins titles, excluding an endless list of school texts like Gulliver’s Travel, David Copperfield, Mine Boy, The Passport of Mallam Illya, Drummer Boy and Oliver Twist amongst several other classic titles. For her, it was like a tale out Shakespears’ imagination mill. But truth is, we didn’t read because it was school textbook, you also need to show off to peers your prowess at completing particular book at a given time (like the milk kid ad wondering how he is able to complete school assignments, plays basketball with his dad, plays chess, does domestic shores and still comes top of the class).
No doubt reading enhances ones metal ability and gives the reader an edge in knowledge over his or her peers. Little wonder most Nigerians hardly identifies your origin by name anymore. Time was when we could even identify an individual to his locality by name recognition. This was only possible through reading books that tells the different cultures of Nigeria – including names, dance, food, religion and festivities.
Recently, at the Lagos State University’s library, Ojo there was a heated debate among students and lecturers on who to blame for the kids lack of interest in reading. It was quite interesting to note how lecturers (teachers) pushed the drawback at parents while exonerating themselves from any blame. I felt it is beyond blaming anyone group of people…it is a societal failure.
Parents are (or more like too busy?) occupied chasing after family’s daily needs and other sundry issues, while kids are mostly kept at nannies care. Most parents cared less about their wards’ school assignments. How could they then bother if they read books or not?
But the teachers are probably the most truant of the society. I recently checked at a neighbour’s kids’ progress in a public school, it was shocking to note that this SSS3 pupil in what is supposedly one of the best public schools (Lagos state model college, Ojo) couldn’t define Government. And come to think of it, this is supposed to be one of the simplest subjects in the school curriculum.
At another public school in Satellite Town, where the principal is a mathematics teacher, the kids had not been taught the subject one whole term. The English Language teacher never bothers about Literature in English. So how would these kids ever learn to read? It gets back to parental concern and care.
President Goodluck Jonathan’s Bring Back the Book project would remain another of those high sounding phrases that would amount to nothing if concrete steps are not taken across all strata of the society to encourage reading. This must include encouraging teachers to read and introduce reading clubs in schools – primary, secondary and tertiary. Unfortunately, I don’t see any practical steps being taken to encourage book production in the country. I am yet to see a teacher-pupil encouragement programme for reading despite all the rhetoric of Bring Back the Book. It needs to go beyond mere rhetoric’s to a more practical hands-on approach to get children reading again.
Technology is at hand to lighten the burden of cost element in the acquisition of books. “The most recent eReader I bought costs just a bit over $100 (approximately N16, 000) which is less than the price of some cell phones,” said Alex Dadson, managing director of Qualcomm, West Africa. Dadson believes the eReader could solve Africa’s book crisis and encourage more reading among the population.
The eReader is defined by Techtarget.com as “a (electronic) device for reading content, such as e-books, newspapers and documents. A standalone e-reader typically has wireless connectivity for downloading content and conducting other Web-based tasks. Popular dedicated e-readers include Amazon’s Kindle and Sony Reader.”
Technological innovations and convergence also means that the eReader and the regular smarthphones are gradually merging. “A smarthphone can have eReader software on it so the same book that you bought on an eReader, you can read it on your smarthphone,” said Dadson.
Convergence is so well defined that the same page you left-off reading in an eReader would open up to you the moment you turn on your smarthphone to the book because both devices are sync. And this becomes the challenge for our local OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) who must now take up the gullet to start production of feature phones and smart-applications, other than getting contended marketing foreign brand PCs and assembling same for the Nigerian market.
Unfortunately, the local OEMs are their own enemies as most of them who claim to manufacture PCs locally are sole licencees of the foreign brands. Nigeria is said to have one of the youngest populations in the world. It means it would be easier to sell mobility to them as their young minds and brains work better with smart-devices. A look around any major city shows one common denominator: while young people flaunt smarthphones, the older population is contented with just any mobile phone.
Little wonder the Chinese brands are now selling fast in the country. They are sleek, smart (can browse internet, etc) and cheap. The Nigeria PC OEMs can seize on this population advantage to boost sales…and even market the idea of local production of eReaders to the government which is in a drive to boost local production, and encouraging reading culture among the populace.


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Nigeria CommunicationsWeek believes that technology makes life more exciting and helps improve the lives of people around Nigeria and indeed the world. So since 2007, we have devoted our energy to independent reportage of technology and how they affect lives.

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British High Commission Reaffirms Strong Ties with Nigeria

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British High Commission in Nigeria has reiterated the strong, long-standing relationship between the United Kingdom and Nigeria following the release of the UK Immigration White Paper earlier today.

A spokesperson for the High Commission stated that the UK remains a top destination for Nigerians seeking opportunities to work, study, visit, and settle, acknowledging the valuable contributions Nigerians make to the UK economy and society.

The White Paper outlines reforms to legal migration, aimed at restoring order, control, and fairness to the system while promoting economic growth.

The spokesperson assured that changes would be gradual, with further engagement between the UK and Nigerian government officials once implementation details are finalized.

“The UK has a proud tradition as an outward-looking nation, investing and trading abroad, and welcoming the creativity, ideas, and diversity of those who come to contribute here,” the spokesperson said.

The UK government has pledged to work closely with Nigerian authorities to ensure a smooth transition as the new immigration policies take effect


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NERC Orders DisCos to Compensate Band A Customers in 557 Streets

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Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has directed nine electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) to compensate Band A customers residing in 557 streets across their franchise areas for failing to meet the minimum power supply requirement under the new electricity tariff regime.

According to NERC, the affected DisCos must implement compensation across 152 electricity feeders due to poor supply in April.

The compensation will be provided through electricity credit or improved power supply, as outlined in the April 2025 Multi-Year Tariff Order.

The directive affects the following DisCos:

Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC)

Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC)

Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED)

Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO)

Kaduna Electricity Distribution Company (KAEDCO)

Ikeja Electric (IE)

Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC)

Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC)

Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC)

The development follows a tariff hike of over 300% for Band A customers in 2024, which mandated a minimum daily power supply of 20 hours. Despite the increase, many consumers have continued to report poor service delivery, leading to the latest compensation directive.

NERC stated that affected DisCos must upgrade power supply in designated areas or provide electricity credits to customers who experienced service failures.


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SERAP Challenges CBN to Publish Local Government Allocations

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Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria to immediately disclose whether it has commenced the direct disbursement of allocations to the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment nullifying state governors’ control over LGA funds.

In a letter dated 10 May 2025 obtained by our correspondent, addressed to the CBN Governor, Mr Olayemi Cardoso, and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the group also demanded that the bank “widely publish the amounts, if any, so far sent directly to each of the local governments” and provide a detailed explanation of any payments already made—particularly to LGAs in Rivers State.

The group stated: “We are writing to request you to use your good offices and leadership position to immediately disclose whether the CBN has commenced the direct disbursement of allocations to the 774 local government councils in Nigeria from the Federation Accounts with the CBN, and to widely publish the amounts, if any, so far sent to each of the local governments.”

This request follows a Supreme Court judgment declaring the practice by governors and the FCT Minister of retaining and disbursing LGA allocations unconstitutional and unlawful.

The court ruled that no governor or agency has the authority to interfere with allocations meant for LGAs from the Federation Account.

Citing this judgment, SERAP argued: “Local government councils are entitled to a direct payment from the Federation Account of the amount standing to their credit in the said Federation Account. States should not be collecting, receiving, spending or tampering with the local government council funds from the Federation Account meant for the benefit of the councils.”

The advocacy group expressed concern that despite the ruling, many state governors have continued to “starve local governments of funds and put them in peril,” thereby undermining their autonomy and capacity to function as the third tier of government.

In the letter, the group warned that if the CBN fails to act within seven days, it would take legal action.

“If we have not heard from you by then, the Incorporated Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel you and the CBN to comply with our request in the public interest,” the letter stated.

SERAP referenced a past revelation by former President Muhammadu Buhari, who in December 2022 described how governors allegedly short-changed LGA chairmen.

“If the money from the Federation Account to the state is about N100 million, N50 million will be sent to the chairman, but he will sign that he received N100 million. The chairman will pocket the balance and share it with whoever he wants to share it with,” Buhari had said.

The organisation argued that the CBN has a constitutional and statutory obligation to protect the financial interests of all tiers of government.

“The CBN ought to act in the public interest to protect the allocations in the Federation Account and the public funds disbursed from that Account directly to each of the constitutionally recognised three tiers of government,” it said.

Highlighting the March 2025 revenue distribution by the Federation Account Allocation Committee, SERAP noted that a total of N1.578 trillion was shared among the three tiers of government. It queried whether the LGAs had received their fair share directly, as mandated by the court ruling.

“Ensuring that all restrictions against direct disbursement of allocations from the Federation Account to the 774 councils are lifted will comply with the orders by the Supreme Court and stop states and the FCT from tampering with the allocations ahead of the 2027 general elections,” SERAP warned.

The group further argued that Nigerians have a legal and moral right to know how their money is being managed, referencing several legal frameworks, including the Nigerian Constitution, the Freedom of Information Act, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

“The public interest in publishing the information sought outweighs any considerations to withhold the information. Nigerians are entitled to the right to receive information without any interference or distortion, and the enjoyment of this right should be based on the principle of maximum disclosure,” SERAP stated.

The group also reminded the CBN that “the Freedom of Information Act is applicable and applies to public records in the Federation, including those kept by the CBN.”


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