Nigerian authors gain global distribution channel as Spotify launches audiobooks

Nigerian authors and publishers have gained a new channel to reach international audiences after Spotify launched its audiobook service in the country.

The service, available in Nigeria on Wednesday, lets local publishers and self-published authors distribute audiobooks to listeners in more than 180 markets through Spotify for Authors.

Spotify said its audiobook partnerships are non-exclusive, meaning writers and publishers can distribute their works through other platforms.

The platform also provides audience information that can help authors and publishers understand who listens to their books and how audiences engage with them.

Spotify disclosed the development in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES, adding that its Nigerian catalogue contains more than 350,000 titles at launch.

The company said the collection would continue to expand as more local publishers, distributors and independent authors joined the service.

However, it did not disclose how many Nigerian-authored books were available at launch or provide details on the revenue-sharing arrangement for local authors and publishers.

Expanding access to Nigerian books

Audiobooks offer authors an alternative way of reaching readers who may not have the time or inclination to engage with printed books.

The format also gives Nigerian writers a potential route to audiences outside the country without relying solely on physical distribution networks.

Through Spotify for Authors, publishers and self-published writers can upload their audiobooks and make them available alongside titles from international publishing markets.

Spotify’s Vice President of Audiobooks, Owen Smith, said the expansion was intended to connect writers and publishers with audiences they had previously been unable to reach.

He also noted that audiobooks could help people return to reading by letting them follow books during commutes, walks, and other daily activities.

Nigerian catalogue and pricing

Spotify said both Free and Premium users in Nigeria can access its audiobook catalogue. However, audiobook listening is not automatically included in an existing Premium subscription.

Users can purchase Audiobooks+, a monthly add-on providing 15 hours of audiobook listening for N2,300.

Only time actively spent listening is deducted from the monthly allowance. The allocated hours will reset at the end of every billing cycle, meaning unused listening time will not be carried into the next month.

Listeners who exhaust their monthly allowance can buy a 10-hour top-up for N2,700.

Listeners can also purchase individual audiobooks separately for continued access without relying on the monthly allowance.

Spotify did not provide a uniform price for individual titles, noting that pricing and access arrangements may differ by market and book.

The 15-hour monthly allowance may cover some books in full, while listeners choosing longer titles may need additional hours or more than one billing cycle to complete them.

Listening features

Spotify has added a dedicated audiobook section to its app, where users can search for titles, browse categories, and get recommendations.

The recommendations will draw from a listener’s activity across audiobooks, music and podcasts.

One feature introduced with the rollout is Page Match, intended for people who alternate between printed or electronic books and audio editions.

Users can scan a book’s International Standard Book Number barcode and enter a page number to locate approximately the same point in its audiobook version.

Spotify said Page Match works in more than 30 languages and has been used by over one million readers.

The platform will also save a listener’s progress across compatible devices. A book started on a mobile phone can therefore be continued through a vehicle’s sound system, smart speaker or another connected device.

Other features include offline downloads and a sleep timer that automatically stops a book after a selected period.

Spotify said its service is accessible through more than 2,000 types of devices.

Global expansion

The Nigerian launch forms part of Spotify’s plan to expand its audiobook service from 22 countries to more than 180 markets by the end of 2026.

The company introduced audiobooks to Premium subscribers in selected countries three years ago as it continued expanding beyond music and podcasts.

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Spotify said the number of people listening to audiobooks on its platform rose almost 40 per cent over the past year, while total listening hours rose more than 30 per cent.

It added that Audiobooks+, introduced just over a year ago, had attracted more than one million subscribers.

Spotify currently reports 777 million monthly users, including 300 million paying subscribers, across more than 180 markets.

Nigerian users must update the Spotify app and open the Audiobooks section, or search directly for a title.