ANA Moves to Reclaim Its Literary Legacy as Government Challenges Writers to Shape Nigeria’s Future

THE Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has embarked on a broad institutional reform programme aimed at restoring confidence in the organisation, strengthening its financial and administrative structures, and preparing members for the opportunities and challenges of the evolving digital publishing industry. At the same time, the Federal Government has challenged Nigerian writers to deploy their creative voices more actively in addressing national problems, promoting responsible public debate and advancing practical solutions to the country’s development challenges.

These two priorities formed a major part of the discussions and activities at ANA’s 45th International Convention and Conference, held from 28 to 31 October 2026, at the Mamman Jiya Vatsa Writers’ Village in Mpape, Abuja. Through workshops, policy discussions and interventions by government representatives and literary stakeholders, the convention placed the future of Nigerian literature within a wider conversation about institutional accountability, intellectual property, freedom of expression and national development.

Beyond celebrating literary creativity, the gathering highlighted the need for a stronger professional foundation for Nigerian writers. It also underscored the responsibility of authors to engage critically with society while contributing constructively to the national conversation.

Rebuilding ANA Through Institutional Reforms

At the centre of the association’s reform agenda is an attempt to address longstanding organisational weaknesses that have affected its stability, credibility and capacity to serve its members. ANA National President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, said the administration had introduced several initiatives to restore the organisation’s founding ideals and strengthen members’ understanding of their responsibilities.

He recalled that the association experienced a major internal crisis during its 2018 convention in Enugu, when disagreements resulted in its division into two factions. In addition, financial difficulties weakened its ability to organise conventions and manage its resources effectively.

Consequently, the current administration has made institutional rebuilding a priority. Akanbi stressed that ANA must operate according to the principles of a professional, independent literary organisation rather than function as a government institution.

“One of the main quests of sanitising the association is to reorient our members so that they understand why we are here. ANA is a non-governmental organisation, not a parastatal. It remains the foremost literary body in Nigeria and in Africa,” he said.

To translate that objective into practice, the association has tightened the enforcement of annual membership dues, introduced financial modelling and strengthened its record-keeping procedures. It has also encouraged state chapters to maintain proper accounts and adopted financial memoranda to improve transparency and accountability.

According to Akanbi, these measures have already produced measurable results. ANA’s annual dues revenue increased from ₦3 million in 2023/2024 to ₦8 million in 2026. Moreover, improvements in its financial management systems have strengthened its external audit records, potentially positioning the association to compete more effectively for international funding opportunities.

Nevertheless, the reforms extend beyond financial management. The leadership recognises that a credible national literary organisation also requires reliable membership information, effective communication and the capacity to understand the changing needs of its writers.

Preparing Writers for the Digital Publishing Economy

As part of its wider restructuring programme, ANA organised five capacity-building workshops during the convention. The sessions addressed Image Building and Marketing, Financial Modelling, Data Collection for the National Survey of the Nigerian Writers Directory, Authorship and Reproductive Rights, and Managing Authors’ Rights in the Digital Environment.

Each workshop addressed a particular challenge confronting writers and the association. While image building and marketing focused on strengthening professional visibility, financial modelling examined the importance of sound financial planning. Similarly, the proposed national writers’ directory seeks to improve the collection and organisation of information about Nigerian authors.

The association also partnered with Bold Scholars, a digital bookstore and publishing platform, to develop the directory. If successfully implemented, the initiative could provide a more organised record of writers and help improve the visibility of Nigerian literary talent.

Furthermore, the workshops recognised that digital publishing has transformed the relationship between authors, publishers, readers and institutions. Although online platforms have created new opportunities for writers to distribute their works, they have also introduced challenges involving unauthorised reproduction, piracy, ownership and the collection of royalties.

Therefore, ANA’s decision to focus on authors’ rights reflects the growing need for writers to understand the commercial and legal implications of publishing in a digital environment.

Protecting Intellectual Property & Securing Authors’ Royalties

To strengthen members’ understanding of copyright protection, ANA collaborated with the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG) and the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC).

The partnership provided a platform for authors to learn how they could protect their intellectual property and receive financial benefits when institutions and other users reproduced their published works.

Acting Executive Director of REPRONIG, Mr. Tosin Akeredolu, explained that the organisation protects authors’ secondary rights by facilitating royalty payments when their published works are reproduced.

He said REPRONIG’s Digital Rights Management System (DRMS) provides blanket licences to institutions, including universities, allowing them to reproduce copyrighted materials legally in exchange for payments distributed among registered authors.

According to him, the arrangement provides a practical response to the difficulty of monitoring every instance of reproduction, particularly because printed books do not ordinarily contain mechanisms for tracking photocopying activities.

“It is difficult to track any work. There is no tracker on paperback books. That is why we do a blanket licensing for institutions to ensure that whatever copying activities carried out in their premises are done lawfully,” he said.

Akeredolu consequently urged authors to register with the platform and upload their published works so that they could participate in the royalty distribution system.

The Nigeria Copyright Commission also emphasised the importance of individual responsibility in protecting intellectual property. Olatunji, the commission’s Deputy Director and Head of Regulatory and Compliance, described copyright as a private right and urged writers to take proactive steps to secure their works.

He encouraged authors to submit their manuscripts to the commission’s digital repository for safekeeping. Such records, he explained, could provide supporting evidence when writers pursue cases involving copyright infringement, theft or unauthorised reproduction.

Meanwhile, the commission’s Special Taskforce Against Online Piracy (STOP) adopts a multi-stakeholder approach to tackling digital copyright violations. Olatunji explained that enforcement could begin with takedown notices before progressing to investigations and possible prosecution where necessary.

These interventions highlighted an important concern: writers cannot fully benefit from the creative economy if they lack the knowledge and institutional support required to protect the commercial value of their intellectual property.

Government Calls for Responsible Literary Engagement

While ANA concentrated on rebuilding its institutional structures and strengthening the professional capacity of writers, the Federal Government used the convention to emphasise literature’s wider responsibility to society.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, made the call at the opening ceremony on 30 October, urging authors to use their creative voices to address national challenges and promote practical solutions.

Akume acknowledged the importance of literature in advancing peace, security and national development. He noted that poetry, drama and other literary forms could expose injustice, document the difficulties experienced by communities and communicate human realities that conventional statistics might not adequately capture.

However, he cautioned writers against deliberately using their influence to promote hatred or incite violence. In his view, criticism of government should strengthen public understanding and encourage constructive engagement rather than deepen divisions.

Importantly, Akume maintained that the call for responsible expression should not prevent authors from examining difficult subjects or questioning those in authority.

“This does not mean that writers should avoid difficult subjects, or that government criticism should be discouraged. Far from it, freedom of expression, the right to question those in authority, are important features of democratic life,” he said.

His remarks placed a clear responsibility on writers to combine intellectual independence with an awareness of the consequences of their public interventions. Rather than retreat from controversial issues, authors should continue to examine them honestly while ensuring that their contributions encourage informed debate and practical responses.

Writers & Government Must Engage Beyond Ceremonial Meetings

Senator Ekong Bassey reinforced the need for a closer relationship between government institutions and the literary community. He urged public authorities to take Nigerian writers more seriously, arguing that literary works had consistently drawn attention to problems threatening the country’s future.

He also encouraged authors to engage more closely with government institutions instead of treating them as distant establishments. According to him, collaboration between writers and public authorities could contribute to efforts to address Nigeria’s security challenges.

Nevertheless, such engagement must preserve the independence of literary expression. Writers must retain the freedom to question government decisions, expose wrongdoing and examine public policy, even as they participate in conversations about possible solutions.

ANA National President Akanbi acknowledged the Federal Government’s support for the literary community. He specifically commended the provision of land for the Writers’ Village in Mpape and the facilitation of writers’ access to benefits under the Reproduction Rights Society of Nigeria Act 2022.

Yet, he argued that institutional support must go hand in hand with broader improvements in governance and national security. He called for stronger efforts to create an environment in which Nigerians, particularly young people, could have confidence in the future.

Akanbi also warned that even well-designed reforms could encounter resistance if citizens experienced them as punishment rather than as opportunities for improvement. His observation pointed to the importance of public trust, responsible leadership and active citizen participation in the implementation of national policies.

The 2027 Elections & the Responsibility of Political Writing

The convention also turned attention to the political atmosphere ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections. Akanbi urged politicians and other political actors to exercise restraint, warning that bitterness, hostility and violence could undermine national unity.

He called for an electoral environment characterised by peace, mutual respect and responsible political engagement. In his view, nation-building requires contributions from both public authorities and citizens.

For writers, this responsibility carries particular significance because literature can influence public attitudes, preserve historical experiences and challenge political narratives. Through essays, novels, poetry, plays and other forms of creative expression, authors can examine electoral conduct, question the exercise of power and give voice to citizens whose experiences might otherwise receive limited attention.

At the same time, the Federal Government’s position raises an important question about the relationship between responsible expression and political accountability. While public institutions may reasonably caution against incitement and hate speech, such concerns must not become grounds for discouraging legitimate criticism or restricting independent literary voices.

Indeed, the ability of writers to examine uncomfortable realities remains central to literature’s contribution to democratic life.

A Convention That Places Institutional Renewal & National Responsibility Side by Side

The 45th ANA convention brought two connected questions into focus: how can Nigerian writers build a stronger professional organisation, and how can they use literature more effectively to influence national development?

ANA’s financial reforms, writers’ directory project, capacity-building workshops and partnerships on copyright protection represent attempts to address the first question. Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s appeal for responsible criticism, alongside calls for stronger engagement between writers and public institutions, speaks to the second.

However, neither objective can succeed in isolation. A literary association requires credible leadership, transparent finances, reliable records and a clear commitment to the welfare of its members. Likewise, writers need a supportive environment in which they can publish freely, protect their intellectual property and earn from the use of their works.

Equally important, national development requires public institutions that recognise literature as more than entertainment or ceremonial cultural expression. Writers must be able to question authority, document social conditions and contribute ideas without losing their independence.

Ultimately, ANA’s effort to reclaim its institutional standing will depend not only on improved finances and administrative procedures but also on sustained accountability and meaningful service to its members. Similarly, the literary community’s contribution to national development will depend on its willingness to combine critical independence with intellectual honesty and constructive engagement.

The Abuja convention therefore offered an opportunity to reconsider the place of Nigerian writers in society. Its central message was that a stronger literary institution and a more responsible national conversation must grow together.