Who owns our knowledge in a global academic landscape shaped by powerful commercial publishers? The
2025 International Open Access Week theme raises urgent questions for regions where local publishing systems, especially in low- and middle-income countries, are often sidelined. Dr. Nwachukwu Egbunike, Senior Lecturer and
Head of Pan-Atlantic University Press in Lagos, brings an African university press perspective to this debate. Drawing on his extensive experience, Dr. Egbunike will discuss how African presses navigate systemic barriers to visibility and authority within the global scholarly ecosystem. While open access is frequently championed as a corrective, Dr. Egbunike asks whether it truly addresses marginalization—or might new models be required. His talk will challenge us to examine the complex realities of ownership, access, and equity in knowledge production, and how universities and publishers in Africa are charting their own paths amidst these global challenges. This presentation, held at the University of Michigan on October 21, 2025, was sponsored by the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies and African Studies Center (both University of Michigan), by University of Michigan Press and Library, and the Association of University Presses.