About Books First Africa
BooksFirst is building a reading culture across Africa.
For 30 years, Books First Africa has been building a reading culture across East Africa — serving readers through retail, e-commerce, schools, libraries, book fairs and literacy partnerships.
30 YEARS OF BOOKSFIRST
Reading. Sharing. Giving back.
Our 30-year anniversary celebrates the readers, families, schools and community partners who keep stories moving. For us, books are about discovery and opportunity, not simply what sits on a shelf.
Explore our literacy impact →
COMPANY OVERVIEW
30 years of connecting readers to books that matter.
Books First Africa connects the shelf to the wider reading ecosystem across East Africa. The business supplies major retail networks while also working with schools, families and communities through book fairs, libraries, reading activities and literacy programmes.
Retail reach
BooksFirst supplies more than 300 retail stores, including Carrefour, Naivas, Quickmart and Chandarana.
CarrefourNaivasQuickmartChandarana
WHAT WE DO
Five ways BooksFirst puts books within reach.
Wholesale
Bulk supply of quality books to retailers, schools, libraries, NGOs and institutions across Africa.
E-Commerce
Thousands of titles online with a direct path from discovery to checkout and delivery.
School Book Fairs
Fun, affordable and engaging book fairs that bring books directly into school communities.
Build a Library
Curated collections for schools and communities designed to make reading spaces useful and inviting.
CSR Partnerships
Structured literacy, education and reading-access initiatives with corporates, NGOs and community partners.
SCHOOLS & EVENTS
Reading experiences beyond the transaction.
BooksFirst’s school partnerships extend beyond book supply. Activities documented in the company profile include book fairs, storytelling, spelling bees, local author readings, kids book club activities and group reading experiences.
Book FairsStorytellingSpelling BeesLocal Author ReadingsKids Book ClubGroup Reading Activities
To cultivate a passion for reading that transforms lives, strengthens communities, and builds a brighter future for Africa.
To inspire a lifelong love for reading by providing quality books and fostering literacy across communities in Africa. BooksFirst aims to make books accessible, affordable and engaging while supporting educational and business needs through a broad product range.
“Together, we can build a reading culture across Africa — one book, one child, one community at a time.”