The Ghana International Book Fair is set to hold its first-ever regional edition in Tamale from Wednesday, 23rd April to Saturday, 26th April 2025 at the Tamale College of Education.
This event would be a new chapter in the fair’s 30-year history, as it extends its reach beyond Accra to bring books, reading, and literary engagement closer to communities in Northern Ghana.
The fair will be organised in partnership with UNESCO Ghana, the Goethe-Institut, the Ghana Publishers Association, the Ghana Writers Association, the Ghana Book Development Council, and Verna Water.
The Tamale Regional Book Fair seeks to make literature more accessible while fostering a nationwide culture of reading.
The initiative is inspired by the need to close the literacy gap in the Northern Region, where the literacy rate stands at just 32.5%, compared to the national average of nearly 79%.
The event which will open on 23rd April, coincides with UNESCO’s World Book and Copyright Day, will be held under the theme, “Read your way: Celebrating Accessible Literature .”
The theme stresses the need to ensure everyone including persons with disabilities have equal access to books and educational resources.
Over the four days, attendees can expect a variety of activities such as book exhibitions, creative writing workshops, school competitions, and a reading session with the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini.
Other parts of the fair include “Drop Everything and Read” in the Tamale Market, Read-to-Play experiences for children, discounted book sales, and the showcasing of Braille and audio books to promote inclusive reading.
With more than 2,000 people expected, including students, teachers, policymakers, publishers, and authors, the Ghana International Book Fair and its partners are hopeful that this first regional edition will birth a lasting interest in reading and literary engagement, while laying the foundation for future regional fairs across the country to be climaxed in August Accra.
