"This article is a sequel, and update, to a two-part article published in Logos. Journal of the World Publishing Community in 2008/09, which analysed the state of the book industries in sub-Saharan Africa thirty-five years after the major conference on ‘Publishing & Book Development in Africa’ that was held at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), Nigeria, in 1973 [...] Part One examines the persistent failure of African governments to support their book industries in a tangible and positive fashion, and their lack of support of public libraries. I review the current status of book development councils in Africa, and the unsatisfactory progress that has been made in establishing national book policies; examine the challenges of generating book industry data; and look at the opportunities now available to African publishers by the new digital environment. In Part Two I offer a number of reflections and recommendations on the way forward, particularly as it relates to capacity and skills building, training for book industry personnel, strengthening book professional associations, South-South linkages and knowledge sharing, encouraging international collaboration, the need for ongoing research and documentation, as well as issues as they relate to African books in the global market place, and the important but neglected area of publishing in African indigenous languages.