A book can open a world of possibilities, introduce readers to unfamiliar ideas and preserve stories for generations. Yet, for many Nigerians, reading a book from the first page to the last has become less of a leisure activity and more of an obligation reserved for examinations, professional qualifications or personal advancement.
On buses, in offices, at home and in restaurants, Nigerians spend considerable time with their phones. They read news headlines, scroll through social media posts, exchange messages and watch videos. However, spending hours reading content on a screen does not necessarily translate into a habit of reading books. The difference lies in the willingness to sit with a longer piece of writing, follow an argument or remain absorbed in a story without constantly switching attention.
Nigeria does not have a reliable, recent national statistic showing how many books the average citizen reads annually. Nevertheless, available research offers clues about the country’s reading habits and the factors that may be weakening recreational reading.
Literacy Does Not Always Translate Into a Reading Culture
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) provides a starting point for understanding the challenge. The bureau’s Nigeria Living Standards Survey 2018/2019 found that 58.5 per cent of males and 49 per cent of females reported being able to read and write in English. Among Nigerians aged 15 to 24, the figures rose to 78.3 per cent for males and 72.3 per cent for females. These figures measure reported English literacy, not the frequency of book reading.
The distinction matters because the ability to read does not automatically create the desire to do so. A person can read fluently enough to complete work assignments, understand messages and pass examinations without developing a lasting interest in novels, biographies, history or other books.
Research published in the Legon Journal of the Humanities in 2018 examined the reading habits of 509 students at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. The study found that many students read mainly to pass examinations and rarely explored materials outside their academic books. This suggests that the problem may begin in classrooms where reading serves an immediate purpose rather than becoming a lifelong habit.
When education presents books primarily as tools for passing examinations, students may gradually associate reading with pressure, deadlines and compulsory assignments. After graduation, that motivation can weaken, leaving little incentive to pick up a book for pleasure.
When Buying a Book Becomes a Luxury
The cost of books presents another obstacle. In a country where households must carefully manage spending on food, transport, electricity, rent and school fees, buying a novel may fall far below other priorities.
Nigeria’s publishing industry also faces rising production costs. Paper, printing, binding and distribution all contribute to the final price of a book. In February 2024, Dr Dele Omojuyigbe, deputy provost of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, raised concerns about production costs affecting the country’s publishing industry. He explained that the cost of producing his book had increased sevenfold between the submission of the manuscript and its eventual publication.
These pressures affect both publishers and readers. Publishers must recover their expenses, while readers with limited disposable income may struggle to justify spending money on books they do not consider essential.
The situation can discourage people who want to read but cannot afford to buy books regularly. It can also limit the choices available to readers when libraries and other affordable sources of books are difficult to access.
A healthy reading culture requires more than encouraging people to read. It requires making books available at prices ordinary Nigerians can afford.
The Classroom That Teaches Reading Without Creating Readers
For many Nigerians, the first serious encounter with books happens in school. Students learn to read, study prescribed texts and prepare for examinations. However, schools do not always give recreational reading the same attention they give academic performance.
A study published in the Nigerian Library Association’s Nigerbiblios journal in 2005 examined the reading habits of undergraduates at the University of Ado Ekiti. Among the 97 respondents, 75.26 per cent reported reading mainly for practical purposes, such as passing examinations and obtaining good results. The study also found that 82.47 per cent used the library more during the academic session.
Although the research is old and focuses on one university, its findings raise an important question: what happens when the examination ends?
Students who spend years reading only to meet academic requirements may struggle to develop an independent reading habit. They may leave school with certificates but without a personal interest in exploring books beyond their profession.
Parents and teachers can help change this pattern by introducing children to stories, comics, novels and age appropriate nonfiction before reading becomes associated exclusively with schoolwork. Allowing children to choose books that interest them can also make reading feel less like punishment and more like discovery.
Social Media Is Competing for Attention
The smartphone has changed how Nigerians consume information. A person can move from a news report to a WhatsApp conversation, then to a short video and a series of social media posts within minutes. Each new notification offers another reason to abandon what they were reading.
A 2020 study published in the Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies examined social media use and reading culture among 1,000 young people in Nigeria’s South South region. It found that 94.3 per cent of respondents used social media and reported a generally poor reading culture among the young people surveyed.
The findings do not prove that social media alone causes declining book reading. The study covered one geopolitical region, and its results should not represent every Nigerian young person. However, they show how deeply social media features in the daily lives of the respondents and why its relationship with reading deserves attention.
Digital platforms also offer genuine benefits. Nigerians can access electronic books, online libraries, educational articles and literary communities through their phones. The problem is not necessarily the device itself, but how people use it and whether they can make room for longer reading alongside quick digital content.
Instead of treating technology as the enemy of books, schools, libraries and publishers can use it to introduce readers to affordable electronic books, audiobooks and digital reading clubs.
Where Have the Libraries and Bookshops Gone?
Access matters as much as interest. People are more likely to read when they can easily find books in their neighbourhoods, schools, workplaces and communities.
Public libraries can provide an alternative for people who cannot afford to buy books, while bookshops allow readers to discover new authors and explore different subjects. However, limited access to well stocked libraries and affordable bookshops can make reading difficult, particularly for people outside major commercial centres.
When these spaces are unavailable, reading depends heavily on personal income, internet access or the willingness of friends and family to share books.
Community libraries, school reading clubs, book exchanges and mobile libraries could help bridge the gap. Publishers could also explore affordable editions and digital distribution to reach readers who cannot regularly purchase expensive printed books.
Such efforts would have greater impact if schools and local communities treated libraries as active learning spaces rather than buildings that people visit only when examinations approach.
Bringing the Joy of Reading Back
Restoring Nigeria’s reading culture requires more than telling young people to put their phones away. It demands a society that makes books accessible, encourages curiosity and gives people reasons to read beyond examinations.
Parents can set aside time for family reading, while teachers can recommend books that reflect the interests and experiences of their students. Publishers can explore lower cost editions, and public institutions can invest in functional libraries with current collections.
Employers, community organisations and media platforms can also support book clubs, reading challenges and conversations with Nigerian writers. These initiatives can help make reading a shared social activity rather than a solitary task people associate with school.
Most importantly, Nigerians must recognise that reading does not have to begin with a thick literary classic. A short story, a comic book, a biography, a crime novel or a collection of essays can provide an entry point. The aim is to help people discover the pleasure of following an idea or story beyond a few paragraphs.
Nigeria’s reading challenge is not simply about whether people can read words. It is also about whether they have the resources, opportunities and motivation to keep reading.
A country that wants informed citizens and creative thinkers must make space for books in everyday life. The question is not only why Nigerians are reading fewer books than they once did, but what families, schools, publishers and governments can do to make opening a book an ordinary part of the day again.
