The Pan-African Young Publishers Association (PAYPA) has opened its first membership application to all young people on the African continent. 

The Pan-African Young Publishers Association (PAYPA) has opened its doors to young people in the African publishing industry, whether as designers, editors, marketers, literary agents, booksellers, or those who have yet to find a spot but are interested in transitioning into the industry. According to their tagline, the goal of the association is “connecting young publishing professionals across Africa”.

Benefits of joining the Pan-African Young Publishers Association (PAYPA)

People who get it: You know how it feels to be in a room—virtual or otherwise—where you don’t have to explain yourself from the beginning? Where “I work in African publishing” is not met with a blank stare but with “oh, me too, what part?” PAYPA is that room. Pan-African, cross-disciplinary, genuinely diverse in every sense of the word.

Knowledge that travels: Copyright law in one country. Distribution networks in another. Digital strategies that work for independent presses. The unwritten rules of rights negotiations. So much of what you need to know in the publishing industry lives inside someone else’s head; someone who learned it the hard way and would have loved, at the time, to have been told. PAYPA is where that knowledge stops being hoarded and starts being shared.

A voice bigger than your own: Think about the things that would change if African publishing professionals spoke with one voice. Trade policies. Platform access. Representation in global publishing conversations. None of that changes through individual excellence alone. It changes when enough of us decide to be loud together.

The feeling of not being alone: They are putting this last, but it might be the most important thing. It is beautiful to know that somewhere in Africa—in a city you’ve never visited, in a language you don’t speak, in a corner of the industry you’ve never worked in—someone is doing what you’re doing and would love to know you exist, right? Now, you get it.

How to join the Pan-African Young Publishers Association (PAYPA)

Fill out this application form for free to begin your membership process. 

Deadline to join the Association

PAYPA application closes on March 14th, 2026. Be sure to apply early to secure your place among the members. 

To learn more about the Association, visit their social media page.