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By Damiete Braide
The rising cost of books in Nigeria has become a major concern for students, parents, teachers, and education stakeholders, as the price of essential learning materials continues to climb beyond the reach of many households. Across the country, the increasing cost of textbooks and other educational materials is gradually creating barriers to learning, threatening literacy development and academic performance, particularly among students from low-income families.
In recent years, the price of books has risen sharply due to several economic factors, including inflation, the high cost of paper, fluctuating foreign exchange rates, and increased production expenses for publishers. Most books used in Nigerian schools are either imported or printed locally with imported materials, making the industry heavily dependent on foreign currency. As the value of the naira continues to fluctuate against major international currencies, publishers are forced to raise prices in order to remain in business.
For many parents, the start of a new school session has become financially overwhelming. A single set of textbooks for a secondary school student can cost tens of thousands of naira, while primary school booklists are also becoming increasingly expensive. Families with more than one child in school often struggle to purchase all the required materials, forcing some students to share books or go without them altogether.
Education experts warn that this situation could have long-term consequences for Nigeria’s learning outcomes. Books remain a critical tool for education, and limited access to them can affect a student’s ability to study independently, complete assignments, and fully understand classroom lessons. When students lack access to the required texts, teachers are forced to spend more time explaining basic concepts, slowing down the pace of learning.
Booksellers and publishers also acknowledge the difficulties faced by both buyers and sellers. Many bookstore owners report declining sales as fewer families can afford to purchase books. Some students now rely heavily on photocopies or shared materials, which reduces demand for original copies. While this helps some students manage costs, it negatively affects publishers and authors who depend on book sales for revenue.
According to stakeholders in the publishing industry, the rising cost of printing materials is one of the biggest challenges. Paper, ink, binding materials, and printing equipment are largely imported, and their prices have increased significantly in recent years. Transportation costs and electricity expenses have also contributed to the high cost of production.
In addition, publishers must factor in distribution costs across Nigeria’s vast geography. Moving books from printing presses to bookstores across different states requires logistics that are often affected by fuel prices and poor transportation infrastructure. All these factors combine to push the retail price of books higher.
Students themselves are increasingly feeling the impact. Many undergraduates in Nigerian universities complain that academic textbooks recommended by lecturers are too expensive. Some specialized books can cost as much as a week’s living expenses for a student. As a result, many students resort to borrowing books from friends, spending long hours in libraries, or searching for digital copies online.
However, access to digital books is not always easy either. While electronic books could offer a cheaper alternative, challenges such as limited internet access, high data costs, and lack of digital reading devices prevent many students from taking advantage of them. In some cases, universities lack adequate digital library resources to support large numbers of students.
Teachers at primary and secondary schools also express concern that students without textbooks often fall behind in class. They explain that textbooks serve as guides that reinforce classroom teaching and provide additional exercises for practice. Without them, students may struggle to revise lessons or prepare adequately for examinations.
Some schools have attempted to address the problem by establishing small school libraries where students can borrow books. While this initiative helps to some extent, the number of available copies is often insufficient to meet demand. A single book may be shared among several students, limiting the time each student can spend studying it.
Stakeholders have also called for increased support for the Nigerian publishing industry through tax incentives, grants, and subsidies. Such measures could help publishers produce books at lower costs while maintaining quality standards.
Another proposed solution is the expansion of public libraries across the country. Well-equipped libraries can provide students with free access to books and learning materials, especially in communities where families cannot afford to buy them. Unfortunately, many public libraries in Nigeria are either poorly funded or no longer functional.
Non-governmental organizations and community groups have also begun stepping in to help bridge the gap. Some organizations organize book donation drives, while others provide subsidized textbooks for students in underserved communities. Although these initiatives have made a difference in certain areas, they remain limited in scope compared to the scale of the problem.
The private sector is also exploring innovative approaches to reduce the cost of books. Some publishers are experimenting with lower-cost editions, while others are developing digital platforms that allow students to access textbooks at reduced subscription rates. However, widespread adoption of these solutions will depend on improvements in internet connectivity and digital literacy.
Parents and education advocates argue that addressing the rising cost of books is essential for protecting the future of Nigerian students. Education is widely regarded as a pathway to social mobility and national development, and access to learning materials plays a crucial role in that process.
If the trend of rising book prices continues unchecked, many fear that it could widen the educational gap between wealthy and low-income families. Students who cannot afford textbooks may struggle academically, reducing their chances of achieving educational success.
Experts emphasize that ensuring affordable access to books is not only an educational issue but also a national development priority. A society that promotes reading and learning creates opportunities for innovation, critical thinking, and economic growth.
Dare Oluwatuyi, Managing Director, CSS Bookshops, the oldest bookshop in the country disclosed that the increase in book prices has really affected sales and demand for books and it did just start today, it has been like that for quite some time.
“Demand for books drops as purchasing power drops and books are supposed to be essential products but for some in Nigeria, books are becoming non essential. Even though we still send our children to schools from primary to university, and they graduate with the use of curriculum based textbooks and relevant subject books to their subjects and courses, the demand per student to acquire such books has dropped seriously because the purchasing power has dropped.
According to him, “recently, civil servants clamoured for an increase in salaries because their salaries have not been increased for quite a while and it can no longer take them home. It also affected private sector workers. But then, that increase in civil salary works is insignificant compared to inflation that has taken place in the country.
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“The impetus to buy books is no longer there. For those that can still afford to buy textbooks for their children, parents now buy core subjects like English, mathematics, chemistry and biology for their children in secondary schools and for primary schools, they buy English, mathematics, social studies, while some parents cannot afford to buy some of them as well. They just buy exercise books and some parents cannot afford to buy all the exercise books for each subject, they now combine two subjects for one exercise book.
“ If they cannot buy the number of exercise books for each subject, how will they now be able to buy textbooks for each subject? So, sales have really dropped, it has affected book sellers, publishers, printers and the book industry in general. It is also affecting the government because the contribution to the economy is also dwindling. I don’t think the government is really looking at this side. They need to look at this angle because we are contributing so much to the economy.”
Talking about concerns expressed by customers on the high cost of books in country, Dare further added that “our customers express a lot of concerns, one thing that is baffling parents is that when they were growing up, if they used a text book in school, their siblings could also use that same textbook but, today, that system is no more. The way books are produced now, they come with a workbook or exercises that a child has to write on it. When the child does that, it means his/her siblings cannot use that textbook again. Somehow, to reduce cost in production, some printers or publishers may use low quality materials saying that the book is going to be used for a year, and because of that before the end of one year, the books are already torn.
“Thirdly, our children are not as careful as we were during our time, so parents are now clamouring that why can’t we go back to that period when at least two siblings of the same family can use the same book. Although some states have passed a law that publishers should not include exercises in the core textbooks, let us have a workbook separately so that two or three siblings can use the same textbook.”
Dare opined there were measures that could be taken that can stabilize book production and prices for books in Nigeria. He recalled that when he was growing up, there were about four paper manufacturing industries, but, today, none of them are functioning, though they are trying to reactivate them.
“Just like the refineries that we have in the country, it is the same thing that we are facing in the book industry. Assuming these paper manufacturing companies are working, by now, we should be able to have additional three or four paper mill companies in the country and, because our population is growing, we will need more paper manufacturing industries but rather than having more, the ones we have are dead. So, we are now importing papers and other materials used to print books.
“When you are importing these products and with the high exchange rate, then it means what you buy is what you will sell. If the government can reactivate the paper manufacturing companies or if they want to privatize them, they should do so and ensure that people that are ready to buy them are capable and committed. Not just those that will buy and go and sleep,” he said.
Continuing, he said, “Also, we have a few private individuals and companies that are coming into the paper manufacturing industry now, we have about three and at the last count, one is already working, the second one will soon start producing and the third one, maybe at the end of the year, will start working. But then, it is still very small. What they will be producing is not what we will require to meet the local demand. So, until we have enough paper manufacturing industries locally that can produce to cater for what the printers and publishers will require, these problems of high cost of books will still be there.
“Pending the time that we will have enough paper manufacturing companies in the country, let the government remove tax and import duties from the importation of papers and allied products. This is because finished books coming into the country are duty free and so the books cannot be taxed. But when you are bringing raw materials like paper that you want to use to produce such books locally, the government now taxes such materials, why would the production of such books locally not be more expensive than the ones imported. First, the government should remove duties on paper and allied products that we are using to produce papers, that will help to bring prices down reasonably, while the local manufacturing companies are coming up.”
Also, lending her voice, Dr Lola Akande, a lecturer at the University of Lagos (Unilag) and an author, had this to say about the high cost of books: “I think one of the effects of high cost of book production is that many authors can no longer have their books in print, hence, e-books have become the consolation. None of my books are in print at the moment, for example, because I can no longer afford to print. I used to take loans to print, but I don’t apply for loans anymore not because my application would be declined, but because I’m aware that the strength of the loan facility I can get is tied to my income since I’m a salary earner.
“My salary can no longer support a sufficient amount for book production. Also, even if I could afford to print, which I can’t, there are no guarantees that I would be able to make enough sales to recover my expenses. The high cost of production means that the cover price would be astronomical and beyond the reach of average people.So, the situation is hopeless.
“Without a doubt, expensive books reduce the reach of authors. The inability of authors to print their books leads to non-availability of the books. It is true that most authors have embraced e-books, but this does not mean that everyone who wishes to access the book can do so even if it is available in soft copy. Not every potential reader has access to the internet, has a phone, can buy data, or has email services through which they can download soft copies.
“Some people who have all the above do not know how to make use of them. Also, there are those who find the process of downloading soft copies of books too cumbersome and tiring. The idea of e-books is still somewhat elitist. And there are people who cannot read books in electronic versions. They have to be able to hold the book in their hands if they have to read it. Plus, many people who can access and read soft copies would still prefer to have the hard copy for references.
“Readers not only read; they underline important aspects of the book, they go back to these parts to re-read, they want to keep and treasure these parts, this book forever because of how it impacts their life. If the book is not available to fulfill this and many more important functions, the author’s contribution dims. Every writer writes because they have something important to say, a message to convey to the reader.
“I think nothing is as important to an author as getting their books to their target audience so that their message gets delivered. Nothing discourages an author more than their inability to make this happen. Why write if the book won’t get to the target readers? It is the reason some writers are now considering giving up. Well, maybe authors who have political connections, who are themselves policy makers or are close to policy makers can use their privileged position to persuade the government to take certain deliberate steps to reduce the cost of book production, by waiving import duties on printing materials, for example. High and unstable exchange rates are the major reasons for the high cost of book production. An average author is helpless.”
For Dr Festus Akanni, a medical doctor and a voracious reader of books, rising book prices haven’t stopped me from reading per se, but there has been a shift in my reading habit to be candid. “I tend to choose e-books, audiobooks, or even free online content now for their affordability.
“For hard copy books, when I need to buy one, I go for established authors, not risky or unknown titles. I am missing out on new great voices out there, definitely. Overall, these have made me more selective about what book I read and how I access them.”
With the soaring prices of books, rather than giving up reading, libraries, borrowing from friends and digital copies have become budget-friendly options, the latter being my most used option. It’s about finding smarter, more affordable ways to keep reading.
The medical doctor noted that imported books had become very expensive when compared to local options. “So also new releases, special/limited editions, hardcover formats etcetera. As a way of adapting, I often turn to local options or shared copies, wait, or choose cheaper formats instead of buying expensive formats or editions outright,” he said. On the solutions, he said books should be made more accessible and affordable to readers in Nigeria.
“Digital platforms that allow self-publishing for authors and lower cost for readers as printing and distribution costs are entirely cut. There should be local content empowerment because locally printed editions are cheaper than imported ones. More Nigerian publishers must be encouraged into the industry for more competition and lower book prices
“Print on demand option where books are printed only when someone orders will also reduce waste and upfront costs. Structuring second-hand book markets, book swaps and reading clubs, community lending systems into robust forms. While government and NGO support of subsidies for paper and printing, grants for authors and publishers etc.
As Nigeria continues to address challenges within its education sector, finding sustainable solutions to the high cost of books will be essential. Through coordinated efforts by government, publishers, educators, and civil society, it may be possible to make books more accessible to students across the country and ensure that financial barriers do not stand in the way of education.
