Q&A: Women’s Group Lagos Celebrates Books and Literary Community in Nigeria’s Largest City

Women’s Group Lagos is a social collective centered on women and reading. The Lagos-based reading group makes space for women who love reading to meet, socialize, and talk about books.

The group was founded in 2020 by Mayowa Omogbenigun, an Investment Banking Analyst living in Lagos. An avid reader who loves to talk about books, Omogbenigun has always appreciated the importance of social media for building communities around books, as is evident from her personal Instagram space where she has developed a captive audience of book lovers. Women’s Group Lagos came out of this experience of the power of communities bound by shared passions and interests.

The reading group meets on Saturday afternoons to discuss literature and host other events such as book swaps and book drives for young women and school girls as well. The group has been on our radar for a while. We’ve loved experiencing vibrancy and positivity of the community vicariously by following their posts on Instagram. For women’s history month, we decided do a quick Q&A to learn more about what the community, what impact they are making, and they would like to be supported.

To join the bookclub, you need to be based in Lagos, Nigeria. Make sure to fill out the membership form, follow Women’s Group Lagos on Instagram (@womensgroup_lagos), and register events.

[All photos by Mayowa Omogbenigun.]

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When was Women’s Group Lagos established?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

Women’s Group Lagos was created in January 2020.

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What inspired the idea for the reading group?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

I believe in the power of creating community and have always seen bookclubs as wonderful communities made up of people bound by a common love. Throughout university, I was a part of different reading groups and societies that focused on literature, writing and critical thinking.  Women’s Group Lagos is directly inspired by those reading groups and societies.

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Who runs the organisation?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

As previously stated, I run Women’s Group Lagos and have done so since I started the group in 2020. I grew a small following for the reading group from my instagram account, @mayowa_reads.

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What are the group’s mission/goals?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

Women’s Group Lagos has a very simple mission and that is to create a safe space for women in Lagos to discuss literature, form friendships, and share and express their thoughts and opinions. Our goal is to always ensure maximum accessibility and inclusion in all of our events for all our members.

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What impact do you see yourself making within the community and/or nation?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

First and foremost, I see Women’s Group Lagos growing to become one of the foremost communities for Women in Nigeria. With this, I see our impact as increasing reading culture, creating support structures for women through community, and most importantly, supporting young women and girls in need. One of the ways in which we do this is through our partnership with Sanitary Aid for Nigerian Girls. Throughout the year, we collect sanitary pads to donate to less fortunate young women and girls. In the coming years, I see our impact in this regard growing as we partner with more organisations and increase our membership and reach.

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Do you have anything you’re celebrating/highlighting this Women’s History Month?

Mayowa Omogbenigun

For us, every day, week and month is dedicated to celebrating and highlighting women! We are currently working on an event that hasn’t yet been finalised and so I’m unable to share details but it will be in honour of Women’s history Month and will be held in March.

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What are the different ways in which people can participate in your reading group? Do they have to be based in Lagos or can they participate remotely as well?

Follow on Instagram (@womensgroup_lagos).