Nigerian authors have more ways to sell ebooks than they did a few years ago, but the platforms do different jobs.
One platform may give you a complete bookstore and reading app. Another may give you a direct checkout page and send the buyer a file. A global retailer may offer reach but introduce international payment, tax and discovery challenges.
The best choice is not simply the platform with the highest advertised royalty. It is the platform that fits your readers, your preferred format and the way you can actually receive payment.
Here are four practical routes to compare in 2026.
1. Sọna: For an Africa-First Bookstore, Reading App and Local Publishing Workflow
Sọna is a digital publishing platform built for African writers, publishers and readers first, and open to anyone.
Authors create a publishing account, upload their ebook and book information, set the price and submit the title for review. The licence is non-exclusive, so an author can also publish elsewhere.
The current Sọna publishing page states that authors keep 80% of every sale. It also lists weekly payouts after the applicable minimum, bank payout support in listed countries and mobile-money payout support in Ghana and Kenya. Authors should read the current agreement and country-specific terms before publishing.
Best For
- Authors who want readers to discover, buy and read within one connected platform
- Nigerian pricing and checkout in naira
- Direct book links for websites, newsletters and social bios
- Pre-orders and secure eARC campaigns
- Verified purchaser and approved eARC review workflows
- Authors who want to remain non-exclusive
Trade-Offs
Sọna is newer than the largest international retailers, so its catalogue and reader community are still growing. Authors should bring their own audience as well as use platform discovery. Full-book reading happens in the Sọna Reader apps, while browsing and purchasing happen on the website.
Start at readsona.com/publish.
2. Selar: For Direct Sales of Downloadable Digital Products
Selar is a creator-commerce platform for selling digital products, courses and services. An author can create a hosted product page, upload an ebook file, set a price and share a direct checkout link without building a website.
This model is useful for authors who already have an audience on WhatsApp, email, Instagram, X or a professional community.
Best For
- Direct selling to an existing audience
- PDF guides, workbooks and knowledge products
- A hosted storefront without a separate website
- Affiliate-led promotion where appropriate
- Creators selling more than books
Trade-Offs
Selar is a digital-product store, not primarily a dedicated literary discovery and reading platform. The buyer's experience may centre on downloading or accessing a file rather than building a protected reading library in a book app.
That distinction matters. A business guide, template bundle or workbook may fit Selar perfectly. A commercial novel may benefit more from a platform designed around book discovery, samples, reading progress and reviews.
Check Selar's official help centre for current fees, supported currencies and payout terms before publishing.
3. Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing: For Global Kindle Reach
Amazon KDP lets authors publish ebooks to the Kindle Store. It offers two ebook royalty options, 35% and 70%, subject to price, territory and other eligibility rules. The 70% option can include delivery costs, so authors should calculate expected earnings rather than relying on the headline percentage.
Amazon's official payment table currently shows wire-transfer support in naira for Nigerian bank locations across several marketplaces, while direct deposit is listed as unavailable for those marketplace rows. Payment arrangements can change, so check the current table during account setup.
Best For
- Access to the large Kindle customer base
- Authors targeting readers in several international markets
- Ebook and print publishing from one account
- Writers already familiar with Amazon's retail ecosystem
Trade-Offs
Competition is intense, and a listing can disappear inside a very large catalogue without deliberate marketing. Tax interviews, payment setup, marketplace territories and royalty rules require careful attention.
KDP itself is not automatically exclusive. However, enrolling an ebook in KDP Select introduces digital exclusivity requirements for the enrolment period. Read those terms before combining KDP Select with another ebook store.
4. Kobo Writing Life: For Non-Exclusive Global Distribution Through Kobo
Kobo Writing Life is Kobo's self-publishing platform for ebooks and audiobooks. Kobo says publishing is free, authors retain their rights, set their prices and can publish non-exclusively.
Its official materials state that eligible ebooks can earn up to 70% royalties and reach Kobo stores and partner channels across more than 190 countries. Kobo also offers optional access routes such as Kobo Plus and OverDrive distribution.
Best For
- International distribution beyond one dominant retailer
- Authors who want non-exclusive publishing
- Kobo app and eReader users
- Optional subscription and library channels
- Country-level sales analytics
Trade-Offs
Kobo's audience is global rather than specifically Nigerian. Authors must verify payment support, currency conversion, tax requirements and the current payment threshold for their circumstances.
A Fifth Route: Sell Directly From Your Own Website
An author with technical support can build a direct store using a website and a payment provider. This offers control over branding, customer relationships and pricing.
It also makes the author responsible for file delivery, taxes, receipts, refunds, security, piracy controls, customer support and the reading experience. A checkout button is not the same as a book platform.
Direct selling works best when you already have a trusted audience and an email system, and when you can support buyers who lose files or change devices.
Do Not Choose on Royalty Percentage Alone
Compare the full path from upload to payout:
- Audience: Are readers already there, or must you bring every buyer yourself?
- Payment: Can buyers use familiar methods and can you receive payouts reliably?
- Format: Is the book delivered as a protected reading experience, a Kindle title or a downloadable file?
- Discovery: Can readers browse by genre, author and recommendation?
- Control: Can you change your price, description, cover and availability?
- Exclusivity: Can the same ebook be sold elsewhere?
- Reviews: Can verified readers leave useful public proof?
- Support: Who helps the buyer when something goes wrong?
The Practical Non-Exclusive Strategy
Many Nigerian authors do not need to choose only one platform.
A sensible approach is to use an Africa-first reading platform for local discovery and payments, add one or two global retailers for international reach, and use a direct digital-product store only where the format and audience fit.
The important exception is any programme with exclusivity terms. Check those rules before making the same digital edition available elsewhere.
Whichever route you choose, create one page on your website or bio link that lists every legitimate purchase option. Send readers to the option that works in their country instead of forcing everyone through one payment system.
The Short Version
Choose Sọna when you want an Africa-first bookstore, naira checkout, a connected reading app, direct book links, eARCs and an 80% author share under the current published terms. Choose Selar for direct sales of downloadable digital products to an audience you already reach. Choose KDP for Kindle scale. Choose Kobo Writing Life for non-exclusive global retail and Kobo channels.
Then market the book. No platform guarantees sales, and publishing in more places does not replace a strong cover, description, direct link, review plan and launch sequence.
For practical sales steps, read How to Sell More eBooks Online. To publish on Sọna, visit readsona.com/publish.
External Sources
- Sọna publishing page: https://readsona.com/publish
- Selar help centre: https://help.selar.com/portal/en/kb
- Selar ebook guide: https://selar.com/blog/how-to-sell-an-ebook-online-in-2026-the-complete-guide/
- Amazon KDP ebook royalty options: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/G200634500
- Amazon KDP payment options: https://kdp.amazon.com/en_US/help/topic/GJD7DFFX6X88AK46
- Kobo Writing Life: https://www.kobo.com/ww/en/p/writinglife
- Kobo Writing Life FAQ: https://www.kobo.com/kobo-writing-life/blog/frequently-asked-questions