Cassava Republic Press
Cassava Republic Press is an independent African book publisher and direct-to-consumer retailer, founded 2006, publishing fiction, non-fiction, crime, poetry, and children's literature by African and diaspora authors across UK and Nigerian markets through imprints Ankara Press, Cassava Shorts, and Cassava Children's Books.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2006
- HeadquartersMaitama, Nigeria
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Cassava Republic Press does
Cassava Republic Press is an independent African book publisher and retailer founded in 2006, with its primary UK office in London and Nigerian operations run through Yellow Danfo Limited (offices in Abuja and Lagos). The company publishes fiction, non-fiction, crime, poetry, children's, and young adult titles by African and diaspora authors across three imprints — Ankara Press (romance), Cassava Shorts (novellas), and Cassava Children's Books — and operates a Spring 2026 Catalogue of approximately 44 titles. Pricing ranges from £7.99 for children's picture books to £16.99 for adult hardback fiction, with e-book formats priced lower.
The business runs a direct-to-consumer e-commerce storefront at cassavarepublic.biz (WooCommerce-based) supplemented by three distribution partnerships: Bounce Sales & Marketing and Macmillan Distribution (MDL) for UK and international wholesale, and Yellow Danfo Limited for Nigeria and Africa. Special sales, rights, and catalogue enquiries are handled directly. Marketing is driven by content (blog/author Q&As), an email newsletter, organic social, and earned media from award nominations — notably the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist (a first for a Nigerian publisher) and the 2021 English PEN Translates Award.
Beyond publishing, Cassava Republic Press runs a community ecosystem comprising the African Women's Editorial Workshop, the African Women's Non-Fiction Writing Workshop, the Black Women's Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize, and the Being Black in Publishing initiative — programmes that double as an author acquisition funnel and a reader loyalty mechanism. The company is privately held and founder-led, with no disclosed external funding, and does not publicly report revenue.
Cassava Republic Press firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cassava Republic Press
- Legal name
- Cassava Republic Press
- Website
- https://cassavarepublic.biz
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2006
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Cassava Republic Press is an independent African book publisher and direct-to-consumer retailer, founded 2006, publishing fiction, non-fiction, crime, poetry, and children's literature by African and diaspora authors across UK and Nigerian markets through imprints Ankara Press, Cassava Shorts, and Cassava Children's Books.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cassava Republic Press industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Independent Book Publishing
- NAICS
- Book Publishers (513130), Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers (5131)
- SIC
- Books: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2731)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Mass Market & Paperback Publishing (MPAJAAAD)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales) (MPAJAJAE)
Keywords
Where Cassava Republic Press is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Maitama
- HQ country
- Nigeria
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices3 records
Markets served
Cassava Republic Press business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Book Sales (Retail): Cassava Republic Press generates revenue through direct sales of published titles via its e-commerce storefront, offering both physical formats (paperback, hardback) and digital formats (e-book). Books are sold at retail prices ranging from approximately £7.99 to £16.99 for most titles.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Children's and YA titles priced lower than adult fiction/non-fiction |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Special sales and bulk/educational orders — quote-based |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
Cassava Republic Press product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cassava Republic Press is an independent book publisher founded in 2006 that commissions, edits, designs, prints, and sells African-authored fiction, non-fiction, crime, poetry, children's, and young adult literature in physical and digital formats. The press operates through imprints Ankara Press (romance), Cassava Children's Books, and Cassava Shorts, and sells titles directly via its WooCommerce e-commerce storefront at cassavarepublic.biz. It also delivers writer development programs including the African Women's Editorial Workshop and the African Women's Non-Fiction Writing Workshop.
Product overview
Cassava Republic Press is an independent book publisher and retailer operating a unified publishing platform. The company publishes fiction, non-fiction, crime, and young adult titles through multiple imprints including Cassava Children's Books, Ankara Press (romance fiction), and Cassava Shorts (shorter-form content). The portfolio encompasses anthology titles like Wild Imperfections and Dancing With Jinns, standalone novels such as The Mercy Step and A Small Silence, and children's picture books. The press also operates community initiatives including writing workshops for African women and the Black Women's Non-Fiction Manuscript Prize. Products are sold through the company's e-commerce shop with UK and international distribution via Bounce Sales & Marketing and Macmillan Distribution, and Nigerian distribution through Yellow Danfo Limited.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ankara Press: Imprint focusing on romance and fiction titles
- Cassava Shorts
- Cassava Children's Books
Products and services
- Ankara Press Romance fiction imprint of Cassava Republic Press focused on contemporary African romance stories, available in paperback, hardback, and e-book formats through the company's e-commerce storefront and distribution partners.
- Cassava Children's Books Children's literature imprint publishing picture books, middle grade fiction, and illustrated stories for young readers, including titles such as 'Hassan and Hassana Share Everything' and 'Henrietta Lacks: The Mother of Modern Medicine'.
- Cassava Shorts Shorter-form publications and novellas line offered by Cassava Republic Press for readers seeking compact literary works.
- African Women's Editorial Workshop Workshop program supporting editorial skills development for African women writers, run by Cassava Republic Press as part of its community and writer development initiatives.
- African Women's Non-Fiction Writing Workshop Workshop program supporting non-fiction writing development for African women, delivered by Cassava Republic Press as part of its community and writer development initiatives.
Quantifiable outcome
- First Nigerian publisher to be shortlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction
Companies that use Cassava Republic Press
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cassava Republic Press technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Cassava Republic Press partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Bounce Sales & MarketingcoreBounce Sales & Marketing is Cassava Republic Press's primary UK and international sales and marketing partner. They handle UK Export, Special Sales and distribution enquiries. Contact: Gemma Davis ([email protected]).
- MDL (Macmillan Distribution)coreMDL (Macmillan Distribution) handles the physical distribution of Cassava Republic Press titles in the UK and export markets. Orders and enquiries: [email protected].
- Yellow Danfo LimitedcoreYellow Danfo Limited is Cassava Republic Press's exclusive distribution partner for Nigeria and Africa. The company operates offices in Abuja (No 3 Rudolf Close, Maitama) and Lagos (Shop F4085, New Tejuosho Shopping Mall, Yaba). Special sales and distribution enquiries handled by Kofo Okunola ([email protected]).
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Cassava Republic Press competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Akashic Books: Independent US literary publisher of fiction, crime, poetry and children's titles with strong author-development programs; analogous business model for indie trade publishing with multiple imprints.
- Huza Press: Nigeria-based independent publisher of African fiction and non-fiction, competing for the same authors and Nigerian retail/wholesale channels Cassava Republic Press targets via Yellow Danfo.
- Ouida Books: Nigerian independent publisher of literary fiction and poetry by African authors; direct competitor for both authors and the small but growing African literary fiction market.
- Jacaranda Books: UK-based independent publisher focused on diverse voices and Black British/African literature, with a similar trade + direct sales model and dual UK/Africa distribution. Most direct comparable peer in size, mission and catalog scope.
- Tin House Books: Independent literary publisher with a multi-imprint portfolio, robust workshop/community programming, and direct-to-consumer e-commerce emphasis — direct operational analogue.
- Parrésía Publishers: Independent UK/Nigeria-rooted publisher of Black-authored fiction and non-fiction, very closely aligned with Cassava Republic Press's mission, imprints structure and target audience.
Others
- Cassava Republic Press's affiliate Cassava Shorts / Cassava Children's: Listed as the company's own sub-brands (Ankara Press, Cassava Shorts, Cassava Children's); included as a sanity check rather than a true peer.
Broad incumbents
- HarperCollins: Global trade publisher with HarperVia and other multicultural imprints aggressively acquiring African and diasporic titles, directly contesting Cassava Republic Press for authors and shelf space.
- Penguin Random House (Knopf / Vintage): Global trade publisher with broader catalogs and established African/Black voices imprints (e.g. One World, Harvill Secker); sets the competitive bar Cassava Republic Press must match for shelf space and advances.
Emerging players
- Ake Arts & Book Festival / Ake Arts Foundation: Nigerian literary platform and adjacent publishing projects that overlap with Cassava Republic Press's author-development and African literature community programming.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cassava Republic Press social profiles
Digital presenceCassava Republic Press financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cassava Republic Press leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cassava Republic Press funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cassava Republic Press M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cassava Republic Press
What does Cassava Republic Press do?
Cassava Republic Press is an independent book publisher founded in 2006 that commissions, edits, designs, prints, and sells African-authored fiction, non-fiction, crime, poetry, children's, and young adult literature in physical and digital formats. The press operates through imprints Ankara Press (romance), Cassava Children's Books, and Cassava Shorts, and sells titles directly via its WooCommerce e-commerce storefront at cassavarepublic.biz. It also delivers writer development programs including the African Women's Editorial Workshop and the African Women's Non-Fiction Writing Workshop.
Is Cassava Republic Press a public or private company?
Cassava Republic Press is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Cassava Republic Press founded?
Cassava Republic Press was founded in 2006. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Cassava Republic Press based?
Cassava Republic Press is headquartered in Maitama, Nigeria, in the Africa region.
How does Cassava Republic Press make money?
One revenue line is on record: book Sales (Retail).
Who are Cassava Republic Press's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Akashic Books, Huza Press, Ouida Books, Jacaranda Books, Tin House Books and Parrésía Publishers. Cassava Republic Press's affiliate Cassava Shorts / Cassava Children's is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are HarperCollins and Penguin Random House (Knopf / Vintage). Ake Arts & Book Festival / Ake Arts Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Cassava Republic Press have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cassava Republic Press.
What industry is Cassava Republic Press in?
Cassava Republic Press's product category is Independent Book Publishing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAJAAAD, Mass Market & Paperback Publishing, with a secondary code of MPAJAJAE, Author Website, Storefront & Direct-to-Reader Commerce (D2C Sales). Its NAICS code is 513130 and its SIC code is 2731.