How Ugochinyelu Anidi nurtures Africa’s next generation writers

Ugochinyelu Anidi, the founder and CEO of Books for Umu Ntii (BUN), an initiative geared towards promoting African children’s literature.

Ugochinyelu, a lawyer cum teacher, has over 14 years of teaching experience, both at the primary school level and as a university lecturer in law, has trained aspiring African writers in the art of children’s book writing with structured digital courses, workshops, and mentorship.

Ugo, as she popularly known amongst her acquaintances, said her love for children literature inspired her into establishing BUN to groom aspiring young writers in February, 2025.

“I have an enduring love for children’s literature. I’ve been reading and writing books since I was eight years old. I rarely saw myself reflected in the books I read. When I began writing, I wrote about the stories I longed to see. That’s what inspired BUN.

“I want African children to see themselves in books, and to give young African writers the tools they need to craft their own stories and to share those stories on the global stage,” she said.

She emphasized that her Books for Umu Ntii (BUN) is an initiative dedicated to promoting African children’s literature. Umu Ntii which means “children” in her dialect.

“Literally, we run books for children. Through BUN Writing Academy, we train aspiring African writers in the art of children’s book writing with structured digital courses, workshops, and mentorship,” she explained.

According to Ugochinyelu, the business space is lucrative and is growing exponentially.

“At first, we started with just one course, the Write Your Picture Book in 14 days course, which was designed for adult writers. But since then, we have expanded to include a short story course as well as other structured digital writing courses and both virtual and physical workshops for young and adult writers,” she said.

She exphasised that the business has trained over 100 children through different courses and workshops in a space of six months.

“We’re introducing an annual short story competition for young authors aged 9 to 16, which attracts a cash prize, a free course, and publication in our annual anthology For Umu Ntii by Umu Ntii.

“This anthology will feature short stories and poems by young authors. Our first edition will be published next year and launched on May 27, 2026,” she noted.

She emphasised that the niche BUN has over other businesses amplifying the voices of the enterprise is that it does not just train children on how to write but guides them on how to secure publication agents abroad.

“We don’t just train writers; we prepare interested authors on the steps to publication and guide them on how to secure literary agents in the US and UK, opening doors to global opportunities.

“I also bring my experience and network from working with Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as a Regional Advisor, along with my personal journey as an agented author with multiple contracts in the US,” she said.

To survive the accelerating inflation, she said the firm adopted a digital-first solution strategy, which reduces overhead costs.

Ugochinyelu explained that the children’s book industry in Nigeria is still in the developing stage, which means opportunities are vast.

“There is a growing demand for African-centered stories, and the real potential lies in digital learning, author training, high-quality publishing, and culturally authentic storytelling,” she noted.

She said her team plans to expand BUN’s reach across Africa by offering more digital courses, regional workshops, and partnerships with schools and libraries.

The business is faced with challenges ranging from of low awareness to balancing affordability with high-quality training, and accessing consistent funding for programmes.

She said the company is navigating the murky waters through collaborations with other organisations that champion children’s development, such as Sheevolution Africa, the Enugu Children’s Book & STEAM Festival, and the KidLit Foundation.