Nigerian publishing industry professional, scholar and broadcast Journalist, Dr. Uchenna Cyril Anioke, has been re-elected as a Director and member of the Executive Committee of the International Publishers Association (IPA), the world’s largest global federation of publishers. Anioke, the immediate past President of Nigerian Publishers Association ( NPA), who hails from Enugu State, will serve another three-year term, beginning in January 2026.
His re-election was confirmed after the conclusion of the IPA’s online voting exercise, which ran from November 7 to 21, 2025. The official announcement was made on November 25 by IPA Secretary General, José Borghino, during the association’s 2025 General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
Dr. Anioke first joined the Executive Committee in 2022. Speaking with Freedom Square TV shortly after the announcement, he described his renewed mandate as “a call to duty,” promising to continue representing Enugu State, Nigeria, and the African continent at the global level. He further pledged to remain a “literary and cultural ambassador,” advocating vigorously for freedom to publish, copyright protection, and the fight against censorship.
Other Election Outcomes
During the assembly, the IPA also announced new members and committee appointments. From January 2026, the Georgian Book Association and Latvian Publishers Association will join as provisional members, while the Bulgarian Book Association transitions from provisional to full membership.
The Executive Committee elections saw:
Helga Frese-Resch (Germany) succeed Christian Schumacher-Gebler.
Karen Phillips (United Kingdom) appointed to the statutory seat held by the UK Publishers Association.
Chunchi Yu (China) reappointed for the seat held by the Publishers Association of China.
Four candidates emerged victorious for the open Director seats:
Ana Baijars (Finland)
Dante Cid (Brazil)
Sheikh Faisal Bin Sheikh Mansor (Malaysia)
Uchenna Cyril Anioke (Nigeria)
For the Freedom to Publish Committee, the elected members include Roberto Banchik (Mexico), Jessica Saenger (Germany), Jacob Sondergaard (Denmark), and Yoshiaki Yoshino (Japan).
The Membership Committee elected:
Catherine Blache (France), Samuel Kolawole (Nigeria), Giulia Marangoni (Italy), Ramesh Mittal (India), and Karine Pansa (Brazil).
Founded in 1896, the IPA now represents 105 member organizations across 84 countries, promoting global publishing standards, defending human rights within the industry, and partnering with bodies such as the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). The association remains a leading voice in the fight against censorship, the protection of copyright, and the advancement of literacy worldwide.