e86 Limited, a Nigerian software development firm and an awardee of the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP), has expressed commitment to making learning fun, affordable and more readily accessible through its flagship product, Panacea e-library.

In a statement released in Lagos on Tuesday, e86 Limited lamented that apart from dearth of facilities, outdated curriculums and lack of instructional materials have made it very challenging for learners in developing nations to exhibit creativity and innovation like their counterparts in other climes.

“As much as privileged students have leveraged on the internet to bridge that gap, we still have the issues of relevance, accessibility and affordability to grapple with. Learners often have to sieve through a huge pile of materials or cough up a small fortune to get what they need. And even when they eventually do, adapting it to the local context presents another challenge. It is this dilemma that Panacea e-library aims to solve,” the statement said.

Panacea is one of the 1,000 business ideas picked by Accenture for the Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Programme (TEEP) 2016 from over 45,000 entries from all over Africa. Through a web app and mobile app that provides access to a wide range of books, journals and other materials, e86 Limited seeks to democratise access to quality learning resources.

While fielding questions from early adopters of the platform, Philip Amiola, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer, explained that the product which has been in the works for more than 15 months is like Uber for books with the added benefits of knowledge sharing/real life collaboration with other scholars, book lovers and life-long learners without the limitations of time and space.

“By sharing instead of owning we can enjoy lower costs, instant access and flexibility while maximising under-utilised assets and reducing the burden on our planet. Everyone can use what they need without having to own it,” he said.

Among other interesting features, Panacea e-library combines the flexibility of e-learning with the immersive experience of creating book clubs and connecting with study mates based on location and interests. Readers and content providers can create free accounts at www.panacea.ng.

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