Audio beyond Europe

Until now Beat Technology’s regular furrow of launching direct-to-consumer publisher platforms for audiobooks has remained tightly within European borders. And, given the market maturity, perhaps understandably so. Powering leading publisher-backed platforms in Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Greece and Romania (with previous services in Denmark and Spain), we have done incredibly well, very rapidly. Our first foray less close to home will see the launch of AkooBooks across Africa. Not just another audiobook service, but a platform with a clear purpose, mission and method to grow a reading habit.

Based out of Accra, Ghana and fronted by c.e.o. Ama Dadson, AkooBooks had a crystal focus from our very first meeting. Ama wanted a dedicated audiobooks platform to highlight stories authored and narrated by Africans. She also wanted a platform that remunerated creators fairly and was of the same standard as the world’s leading platforms. “AkooBooks will be a unique catalogue of African writers whose names are well known and loved, many of whom we are very pleased to introduce in the audio format for the first time. We want to inspire, move and transport you to Africa anytime, anywhere,” says Ama.

Homegrown talent

With a background in audio production, Ama employs young acting talent from theatre and film for audiobook narration. “I like to think we grow the audiobook industry, and provide work and income for African actors,” she says. “We also provide new skills for the sound engineers and other experts needed for specialised technical audio production.”

While audio listening trends are expected to follow those of African readers, a stark contrast already noted in the audiobook space is the difference in narration style. Ama explains: “I feel the narration experience is best when the accents match the language of origin of where the book takes place. British narrators generally read at a slower pace, Americans are faster-paced. African storytelling is an art form, the storyteller a master craftsman who deploys their body, using gestures and impersonations; the cadence of voice; and the relationship they have with the audience. African storytelling is based on oral tradition and is just so suited to audiobooks.”

AkooBooks is a space for all those styles. With an international interface in English, the platform will be home to stories in indigenous languages such as Gha, Twi and Kiswahili, as well as English and French. Further down the line, the intention is to open this list of languages spoken in Africa even further.

With local-language content being created at home, Beat Technology and AkooBooks have been working diligently, agreeing terms for relevant English and French content to be included on the service and made available across Africa. There is been a wealth of interest so far from the major publishers and independents, but now is the perfect time for those on the fence to put their words into action and support a developing listening market, price content appropriately and truly empower and enthral millions of potential new readers.

A strong start and bright future

Creating a successful platform in such a nascent audiobook arena requires a few key ingredients—beyond the content, the platform and a passionate team. Connectivity and data issues need solving, pricing needs to be market-appropriate, the habit of reading needs to be nurtured, and partnerships are needed as well as governmental and institutional support. “We are off to a good start with the backing of MTN, Africa’s largest mobile operator. Via its Ayoba portal, it has grown us a community of over 150,000 subscribers,” explains Ama. “We also have support from the Ministry of Education Centre for National Distance Learning and Open Schooling to pilot the use of audiobooks in Ghanaian primary schools.” These partnerships are just two of many in the pipeline as AkooBooks readies itself for a full launch, all very timely as Ghana’s main city prepares to become Unesco’s World Book Capital in 2023.

Locally known as AWBC 2023, the year-long recognition for Accra will see a heavy audiobook-centric series of campaigns for AkooBooks, including all major public transport systems, magazine-style weekly podcasts and a literary walking tour of Accra.

So the start is strong, the future feels bright and there is a steadfast captain at the helm, but where does Ama see Africa and audiobooks in the future? “We want to reach millions of Africans with audiobooks, nurturing lifelong African readers and tackling the barrier of access to books. We want to harness the power of the spoken word to make African writers a global cultural force in the universe of human knowledge, driving growth in Africa’s creative digital economy.

“Within five years, we aim to be the largest single employer of voice talent in West Africa.”