A reader has seen your book on Instagram and wants a copy. They have a Nigerian debit card, a bank account and a phone. Getting from that moment of interest to a paid order should be easy. Too often, authors send readers through private messages, transfer screenshots and a wait for someone to email the file.
A direct-sales shop removes much of that friction. It gives the book a permanent sales page, collects payment and, for ebooks, delivers the download. For Nigerian authors looking beyond Amazon, three practical options are Selar, Paystack Storefront and Payhip connected to Paystack. Each serves a slightly different kind of publishing business.
Selar
A good starting point for selling ebooks to your existing audience.
Selar lets you turn a finished manuscript into a product readers can buy through a single link. Create a digital product, upload the book, add its cover and description, then set your price. That link can go in your Instagram bio, WhatsApp catalogue, newsletter or the QR code on a launch flyer.
For a novel or prose-heavy nonfiction book, a properly formatted EPUB lets readers adjust the type size on their devices. A PDF suits a workbook or illustrated publication whose page layout matters. Name the format on the product page so readers know what they are buying.
Selar's published naira fee is 4% plus NGN 50. On a NGN 5,000 sale, that is NGN 250, leaving NGN 4,750 before any other applicable deductions. Its payout guidance says naira proceeds become available after 24 hours; withdrawal processing is separate.
Choose Selar when the immediate task is simple: your readers already know you, and you need a dependable place to send them. An author promoting a devotional to a church audience or a practical guide through a professional network can start here without commissioning an entire website.
Paystack Storefront
A straightforward shop for printed books and a small catalogue.
If you sell signed paperbacks, collect launch orders or offer several titles, Paystack Storefront provides a useful sales counter. It supports physical and digital products and is available to Nigerian merchants without a setup or recurring subscription fee. Payment-processing fees apply.
The advantage for print is the order itself: the reader selects a product and supplies delivery information as part of the purchase. You can present different editions or products clearly instead of reconstructing every order from a conversation.
For Nigerian local transactions, Paystack lists 1.5% plus NGN 100, capped at NGN 2,000. The NGN 100 component is waived on transactions below NGN 2,500. A NGN 5,000 local payment therefore incurs NGN 175 in processing fees, leaving NGN 4,825 before production, delivery and other costs.
Build the product page around the questions a print buyer actually has: paperback or hardback, price, delivery charge, dispatch time and whether copies are in stock. Show delivery separately from the book price. For preorders, give an expected dispatch date and explain what happens if it changes.
To set up the shop, activate your Paystack business, complete its verification requirements, then create your Storefront and add products using the official setup guide. The shop collects orders; you remain responsible for packing and dispatching physical copies.
Payhip with Paystack
A useful option for an author building a broader digital catalogue.
An author may eventually sell more than a single book: a workbook, an audio edition, a short course or a bundle built around the same subject. Payhip offers a storefront for that catalogue, with Paystack handling the Nigerian payment connection.
This is an established integration, not a workaround requiring a foreign address. Payhip explicitly lists Nigeria among the countries supported by its Paystack connection. In your Payhip payment settings, connect your Paystack account and use the supported currency for that connection.
Payhip's free plan charges 5% per sale, in addition to your payment processor's charges. Its Plus plan costs USD 29 monthly with a 2% platform fee; Pro costs USD 99 monthly with no Payhip transaction fee. For a first book, the free plan avoids a monthly dollar bill before sales have become regular.
The extra fee should earn its place in your budget. Choose Payhip because its shop and product tools suit the business you are building, not because opening another account feels like expanding distribution. Your own shop still needs you to bring readers to it.
Build a page that sells
The checkout is only the last part of the sale. Before reaching it, the reader needs to understand why this particular book deserves their time.
Lead with a legible cover and a short description. For fiction, introduce the character, the conflict and what is at stake. For nonfiction, state the problem the book addresses and the specific understanding or skills a reader will gain. Add a sample that demonstrates the writing rather than filling the page with praise.
Then make the transaction clear. State the format, price and delivery method. Include a working support contact. For a digital purchase, walk through the receipt and download on a phone before launch; for print, calculate the packaging and dispatch cost before setting the price.
You can put any of these checkout links behind a Buy button on your author website. That lets your website hold the biography, sample chapters and newsletter signup while the sales platform handles payment.
Start with one shop
For a first ebook sold mainly to Nigerian readers, Selar is a sensible starting point. For signed copies and print orders, Paystack Storefront is a strong fit. For a growing mix of digital products, Payhip with Paystack deserves consideration.
There is one important restriction for authors already using Amazon: an ebook enrolled in KDP Select is subject to digital exclusivity during its enrolment term. You can still sell the print edition elsewhere, but the enrolled ebook cannot simply be added to your own shop.
Give your first shop a proper launch before opening a second. Publish a sample, send the link to readers who have asked about the book, and keep a record of sales, fees and delivery costs. A small shop with fulfilled orders and returning readers is a better foundation than six listings nobody visits.
Fees checked September 2026. Calculations assume a Nigerian local transaction and exclude taxes, refunds, promotion and other applicable costs.