The Fortham National Education and Book Exhibition 2026 (FONEBE) opened on Thursday, 17th September at Novare Central Mall, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, under the theme “Strengthening Nigeria’s Reading Culture: Connecting Schools to Quality, Credible and Impactful Learning Resources.”
Guests were received at the registration desk from early morning before moving into the exhibition hall, where publishers, booksellers and education organisations had set up their stands. The day’s programme was formally declared open at the Official Opening Ceremony, followed by remarks from guests and stakeholders on the state of reading and learning resources in Nigerian schools.
A panel discussion brought together voices from education, publishing and government to discuss how schools can access quality, credible learning materials. The day closed with an Awards & Recognition session celebrating individuals and organisations for their contribution to education and the book industry.
Exhibitors on the floor included Hakikat Bookstore / goFreeBooks, Clasier Publishing Limited, Evans Brothers (Nigeria Publishers) Ltd, Accessible Publishers Limited, Progressive Educational Services Ltd, Adams Pages Bookstore, RovingHeights Bookstores, Erkam Publishing Nigeria, StudyNow Educare, the Association of Nigerian Authors, the Nigerian Youth in Mining Initiative (NIYIM) and Fortham Publishers.
See more moments from the day in the 2026 Gallery.