ABOUT US

CSS Bookshops Limited was established in 1869 by the Church Missionary Trust as C.M.S Bookshops, Lagos thereby becoming the oldest Company that specializes in books and related materials supply in Nigeria. The main aim of establishing the Company then was to source and distribute devotional service/religious books, stationery products, educational and general interest books and these products in addition to Library consultancy/turn-around services are still being offered today at great qualities and competitive prices.

In 1913, the C.M.S Press, a division of C.M.S. Bookshops, Lagos, was established to provide printing services to complement the bookshop arm in order to ensure a holistic solution to the challenges being faced in the production of educational materials for the fast increasing school population. During the centenary year celebrations in 1969, the name of the Company was changed to CSS Bookshops (Church and School Supplies Bookshops). The Company which had over the years been incorporated as a Company Limited by Guarantee was reincorporated as a Company Limited by Shares in 1992 and it became CSS BOOKSHOPS LIMITED with three main divisions:

• • CSS Press – Printing and Publishing
  • CSS Bookshops – Chains of Bookshops, School Books Supply, Library Books Supply, Library equipment Supply, etc
  • CSS Properties – Bookshop House and other properties located across the Country

In 1993, the Company’s name was changed to CSS Limited, but in 2003, it was reverted back to CSS Bookshops Limited. The Company has branches in Abuja, Lagos – CMS & Apapa, Port Harcourt and Kaduna.

PRINTING AND PUBLISHING DIVISION (CSS STERLING PRINTERS)

Having been established in 1913 with regular retooling and maintenance over the years, the division is the oldest surviving printing and publishing company in Sub-Saharan Africa. During the period under review, we have published books for use at all levels of education in Nigeria in addition to other printable materials for teaching, learning, research and development for various sectors of the Nigerian economy including education, banking & finance, oil & gas, telecommunication, etc.

The printing press handles all kinds of off-set printing, including:

• Book Printing and Production
• Exercise Book Production
• Posters/Handbills Production
• Calendar Production
• Diary Production
• Production of Annual Reports
• Production of various forms for numerous use
• Production of security documents.

BOOKSHOPS DIVISION 

CSS Bookshops Limited has been at the forefront of books supply in Nigeria for over a century and we have actually provided the missing link in books and other educational materials supply across all levels of teaching, learning, research and development hitherto.

We leverage on our expertise, chains of bookshops and worldwide network of reputable publishers to deliver our customers’ requests timely, proficiently and professionally taking into account each customer’s specific requirement and particular needs.

Our main bookshop (Bookshop House Shop – BHS) is strategically sited on the ground floor of the magnificent Bookshop House located in the heart of Lagos Island – CMS Bus-Stop precisely. We are proud to showcase a huge range of assorted books from pre-primary to tertiary levels including professional, motivational and other general interest books and all gamuts of religious titles and stationery items.

We like to point out that despite the fact that the world is presently migrating towards electronic publishing (e-book, e-journal) etc, print publications will still continue to be relevant in Nigeria and globally in view of its peculiar uses hence our bookshops will continue to serve the yearning needs of the teeming population. Additionally, we are in partnership with renowned e-book, e-journal and online databases publishers globally to make these latest technological products available to our various customers to enable them operate at global levels.

The bookshops specialize in the distribution and sale of:

• Tertiary, secondary and primary school books for every curriculum
• Management and other professional books
• Information Communication Technology (ICT) books
• Library equipment – tools, furniture & fittings, shelving systems, etc
• e-Library – conceptualization and development
• Stationery items – pens, pencils, envelopes, etc
• Office & school equipment
• Laboratory equipment and installation of modern containerized laboratory
• Christian literatures, books, assorted Bibles including computer Bibles

The Bookshop is also a sole and/or major distributor to the following foreign publishers and producers:

• Bounty Press Limited (U.K) – Children Books, Cookery and General Titles
• Sterling Publishing (India)
• Geddes & Grosset (U.K) – Children Books, References and General Titles
• Bernard Babani (Publishing) Ltd
• Christian Focus

CSS PROPERTIES – BOOKSHOP HOUSE LIMITED

The properties division is responsible for the management of the magnificent Bookshop House on Lagos Island and several other properties own by the Company across the Country.

The division went into partnership with Omega Savings and Loans to develop the Cliff-top-Estate Port Harcourt, Rivers State in year 2006. The estate comprised of twenty five (25) units of purposely built 3 or 4 bedroom flats in the Garden city.