Okadabooks To Shut Down Bookshelves

OkadaBooks is shutting down its bookshelves after running for 10 years.

Okechukwu Ofili, the company’s CEO, shared the news via a statement today, November 20, 2023, on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).

Citing rough macroeconomic conditions, the statement read, “After much consideration and reflection, we have come to a difficult decision. This has not been an easy choice. We’ve explored various avenues to keep our virtual bookshelves alive, but, unfortunately, the challenges we face are insurmountable”.

The CEO went on to express his sincere gratitude to the literature community for their support over the years before briefly touching on the future.

In his words, “As we bid farewell to OkadaBooks, we hope that you continue to explore the vast world of literature through other avenues. The adventure doesn’t end; it merely takes a new and exciting turn”.

Ofili, who is a writer, launched OkadaBooks in 2013 to help writers skip the challenges that often come with self-publishing and get their books directly to their readers.

Five years later, the one-of-a-kind digital publishing and bookselling platform was selected for Google’s Launchpad Accelerator Africa.

Several years later, the platform has become Africa’s leading digital content provider, with over 40,000 original books, and 400,000 registered readers.

OkadaBooks will close its virtual doors on November 30, 2023.