How Nigeria’s LockBook simplifies textbook delivery via a digital platform.
A Nigerian business called LockBook bills itself as the “Netflix or Spotify of books,” assisting authors, publishers, and instructors in creating encrypted e-textbooks that are impossible for readers to unlawfully share, print, or take screenshots of.
Established in May 2021, LockBook protects authors and publishers by guaranteeing that e-books are encrypted and unpireable, while enabling students to buy and read them instantly at 20% less than elsewhere.
“Authors can distribute their e-books across geographical places without having to spend a fortune like they would for conventional publications. In addition to using flash cards, authors can grade quizzes, create a leaderboard, and monitor readers’ study habits. Co-founder and CTO Oyerinde Enoch told Disrupt Africa, “We are currently working on a hardware contract to give special users Glare-free paper-like devices.”
With over 11,500 users and NGN110 million (US$72,000) in income, LockBook currently pays local authors more than NGN70 million (US$46,000). Oyerinde initially funded the firm with his own money, but it has since gained access to non-equity capital through several competitions and plans to grow.
As of right now, we are working in a few states in western Nigeria. By the second quarter of 2026, we intend to have covered the entire western area and the entire country. Additionally, we want to reach more universities and add more writers and e-textbooks to our platform,” he stated.
A 25–30% cut of each e-book sold goes to LockBook, depending on the features that authors utilize from its product line.
