Collymore says time ripe for ‘Kadogo’ books in e-formats

His thoughts could have arisen from the nostalgia of his life in Japan, or perhaps the constant desire to meet changing expectations and offer customers products that meet their needs best.

Bob Collymore, an avid reader as he would describe his passion for written knowledge, is of the opinion that Kenyan publishers should consider digitising books and selling them in portions.

In Japan where the Safaricom chief executive lived for eight years, Mr Collymore had an easy time when it came to devouring books. His mobile gadget gave him access to tens of books, a situation which is different in Kenya.

“I could carry as many as 20 books in my electronic gadget at a go, but I cannot say the same for carrying 20 hard copies in one hand,” said Mr Collymore in a speech address to publishers during a book launch this month.

The techie openly expresses his dread for fine print even while gracing Ryuho Okawa’s book launch, a Japanese author with over 1,000 books under his name, as the chief guest. Taking to the dais, Mr Collymore urged publishers on embracing technology.

“My advice to Kenyan publishers is the messages in Okawa-San’s book Invincible Thinking — don’t limit your abilities by holding on fixed ideas or assumptions. Adopt and adapt new technologies that will undoubtedly offer tremendous opportunities for content,” said Mr Collymore.

The call came as a challenge to publishers but also a thought to decipher. Can ‘Kadogo economy’ really work for publishers? In Kenya, Kadogo (slang for small) economy refers to packaging goods (services?) to suit the taste and demand of the low-income segment.

Mr David Muita, the CEO of Moran Publishers, says the idea is viable but he had never given it a thought.

“It is possible for tertiary level since students study in units,” said Mr Muita. Mr Muita has worked in the publishing industry for more than three decades.

Tertiary institutions use volumes of books in parts depending on course level and content. This, according to Mr Muita, would be an entry point for ‘Kadogo book economy’.

If adopted the concept may prolong lifespan of books in libraries, saving institutions cost arising from mutilated book pages. It may also bar piracy and book duplication common among students and other readers, saving publishers billions of shillings.

Publishers estimate the loss to be in the region of Sh2 billion annually in an industry worth Sh15 billion.

According to Mr Lawrence Njagi, the chairman of Kenya Publishers Association (KPA), it is difficult to clearly judge the extent of the damage since some go unnoticed like wads of book photocopying in learning institutions. To mitigate harm, KPA through Copy Kenya, levies photocopy shops, recouping part of the money.

Publishers of the KCSE examination set books are the biggest casualties of book piracy over the years through piracy.

The tertiary book market, despite a surge in college and university admissions, has remained low. One of the reasons Mr Muita points to this is the cost and quantity of books required. A college student requires five to six volumes. The average cost of a copy is Sh3, 500.

While the ‘Kadogo’ concept answers the question of book budget, which many constituencies have blamed for Kenya’s “poor reading culture,” critics fault the security of digitised copies.

Top of the list is the ogre of piracy among publishers that giants like Amazon.com have controlled by ensuring that only the e-reader (Kindle) can be shared and not the books.

Journals have limited access to content through passwords, which means only the individuals and institutions that subscribe have access.

While publishers, through the lobby KPA, sleep over the challenge, the idea is coming from a man whose company has mastered and benefited the Kadogo Economy.

Safaricom’s products like the low denomination airtime cards commonly known as ‘Bamba’ leads the pack of such products and services like per second billing, ‘Okoa Jahazi’, ‘Sambaza’ and even the recent savings product MShwari, offered with the Commercial Bank of Africa.

Other companies like detergent makers Unilever and even the music industry have adopted this segmentation with many gains.

“We have made it our focus to intimately understand the customer as well as the micro-nature of the Kenyan economy,” said Mr Collymore.

“We understand that the ordinary Kenyan will not fuel their car once a week, but will opt to put a little bit of fuel twice a day. We realise that the Kenyan mother of two prefers to buy a small packet of detergent several times a week instead of a large box once a month.”

Mr Michael Joseph, the former Safaricom CEO, once caused a stir by saying Kenyans have “peculiar” calling habits.

The music industry has also benefited from the Kadogo economy by allowing music lovers to buy a favourite number through the mobile phone instead of the whole album.

Last year, the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) collected Sh16 million in royalties from such ventures.

Although the book industry is different, just like phone users run to the shops to recharge using small denominations, readers would most likely go for the next volume to continue reading a captivating story and complete a college course.

However, primary and secondary schools may find the concept challenging to fit into the modules and curriculum, which requires a complete book.

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