Exploring the Depths of Africa’s Literary Diversity
As African publishers strengthen their own literary ecosystems, they continue to challenge a persistent misconception — the tendency of international audiences to view Africa as a single, monolithic entity.
Speaking at the Sharjah Publishers Conference, Eghosa Imasuen, Executive Director of Narrative Landscape Press in Lagos, said Western portrayals often homogenize African voices. “When you listen to Western-produced audiobooks set in Africa, everyone suddenly sounds like they’re from Wakanda,” he remarked, referencing the fictional kingdom from Black Panther. “No one actually speaks like that on the continent.”
This so-called “Wakanda problem” extends far beyond accents. According to Imasuen, it reflects how African stories are often curated to fit foreign expectations rather than authentic local realities. Many publishers now reject that approach, emphasizing the continent’s diversity by creating content for domestic and regional readers rather than tailoring books for the Western market.
“It was once fashionable to say, ‘I don’t read Nigerian books,’” Imasuen added. “Now, it’s the opposite—people proudly say, ‘I don’t read American books.’”
Building a Local-First Literary Market
Ainehi Edoro is the founder of Brittle paper and professor at University of Wisconsin Madison. She led the workshop in Sharjah, entitled “Inside the African Literary Market – What Global Publishers need to Know.” Drawing on UNESCO’s recent study of African publishing, Edoro emphasized that a focus on local readers has transformed the industry.
“Publishers today are saying, ‘I write for Nigerians, for Kenyans, for Ghanaians,’” Edoro explained. “That shift has significantly improved storytelling quality.”
She believes Africa’s literary ecosystem is entering a new phase of maturity after decades of groundwork. However, structural and economic barriers still slow its progress.
Infrastructure and Economic Barriers
Despite the creativity fueling the market, African publishers continue to face logistical hurdles. The continent lacks robust distribution networks, libraries, and retail systems comparable to those in developed markets.
Edoro stated that in Nigeria, selling 5,000 copies is like sweating blood. Local production is often too expensive for publishers, who are forced to print in China and India.
The industry also faces talent shortages. The 2014 Ebola crisis and later the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted publishing houses and changed how teams collaborate. “We’re doing so much of our work on Zoom now,” Imasuen noted, adding that this shift has limited opportunities for mentorship and skill development.
On top of that, inconsistent tariff policies have hurt the industry. Although cultural goods should be exempt under the 1950 Florence Agreement, several African governments still impose taxes. Ethiopia once levied a 36% tariff on books, while Nigeria has arbitrarily added taxes based on political changes. “Customs would classify everything—fiction, essays, even speeches—as ‘educational printed books,’ just to charge extra,” Imasuen recalled.
These practices have fueled piracy, making counterfeit books cheaper and easier to access than legitimate editions.
Piracy and the Rise of Counterfeit Books
Piracy, both physical and digital, remains a pressing concern. Imasuen revealed that when Femi Otedola’s autobiography, Making It Big, was released in August 2025, it became the publisher’s best-selling title with 45,000 copies sold. But before its official release, dozens of fake versions appeared on Amazon Kindle, including unauthorized French translations.
“At some point, we just gave up fighting,” Imasuen admitted. “People see piracy as harmless because no one gets killed—they don’t realize it’s killing our industry.”
To combat this, African publishers are now forming cross-border partnerships to strengthen rights management. “We’re sharing licenses between countries,” he said. “Kenya prints for Nigeria, Nigeria prints for Ghana—we’re creating an equatorial publishing network.”
New Trade Systems and Financial Innovations
The coming African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), launching in 2026, and the Pan-African Payment System are expected to ease cross-border publishing. These frameworks will allow direct transactions without relying on foreign banking systems like SWIFT.
Countries such as Nigeria and Kenya have also passed laws to securitize intellectual property, theoretically enabling publishers to use book rights as financial assets. However, implementation remains slow due to limited regulation and expertise.
Expanding Horizons: Audiobooks and Global Collaborations
African publishers are also diversifying their offerings. Narrative Landscape Press recently launched its first audiobook — Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie — produced in partnership with Genti Audio, a local studio. The company has also established a literary and scouting agency to connect African stories with European publishers and film producers.
Still, Edoro cautioned that global recognition should not obscure the diversity within African publishing. “The world often assumes we’re tied only to the U.K. or U.S.,” she said. “But there are thriving French, Portuguese, and indigenous-language markets that deserve equal attention.”
She urged international publishers to look beyond the dominant players like Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, and to explore emerging markets supported by the African Publishers Network.
A Confident Literary Future
Despite challenges, African publishers remain optimistic. New companies such as Masobe Books, founded in Lagos in 2017, have published hundreds of titles, nurturing both writers and readers. The name Masobe, meaning “Let Us Read” in the Isoko language, perfectly captures this movement’s spirit.
“The era of explaining ourselves to Western readers is over,” Imasuen said. “Our authors now focus on authenticity — telling their stories truthfully for African readers. If the story is powerful enough, the world will make the effort to understand it.”
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