Walelgn Ayele, an aspiring young author, faced a harsh reality when he attempted to publish his first book. Printing 1,000 copies of a 450-page book would cost nearly half a million Birr. He quickly realised that paper size and weight were just the beginning of a complex and costly process.

"To publish a book nowadays, you either have to be a government official or extremely rich," he said. "It’s impossible at these prices."

The publishing industry is struggling with soaring paper costs, compounded by a 15pc value-added tax (VAT) on paper and printing services. Import duties on sheet paper jumped to 15pc in October, up from five percent, while the duty on roll paper remains at five percent. The depreciation of the Birr has further inflated prices, creating a crisis for publishers, authors, and bookstores alike.

Haimanot Asmerew, owner of Haimanot & Family Print House, has witnessed the toll of rising costs firsthand. Printers now require full upfront payment, making it even harder for authors to publish their work.

"The market is struggling," he said. "Authors can’t afford to get their books to the public in the numbers they want."

Many printing companies, bookstores, and writers are now unsure whether they can continue operating.

Desalegn Masre, managing editor of the ebook and audiobook platform AfroRead, confirmed the trend.

"Paper prices have been rising for years," he said. "You can’t expect book prices to stay the same."

Abere Adamu, president of the Ethiopian Authors Association (EAA), says that soaring publishing costs, especially with the addition of VAT, could hurt the country’s reading culture and increase illiteracy.

"The first victim is society at large," he said.

Mohammed Osman, head of the Tax Policy Research Monitoring Division at the Ministry of Finance (MoF), defended the move, explaining that the duty hike was meant to protect local manufacturers and consumers.

Faced with these financial burdens, many authors are turning to digital platforms. The digital book market, comprising electronic books (ebook) and audiobooks, offers a more affordable, accessible, and portable alternative. Ebooks cost less than printed books and can be instantly downloaded onto digital devices. Audiobooks further enhance accessibility, offering features like searchability and device syncing.

The audiobook market is growing fast, with platforms like Teraki, Semu Audiobook, AfroRead, and Tuba leading the way.

Nahom Tsegaye, founder and CEO of Teraki, claims his platform is Ethiopia’s first application to compile audiobooks and podcasts in collaboration with producers. Teraki has attracted 230,000 listeners and records between 140,000 to 150,000 monthly users. It also partners with NGOs and the Ethiopian National Association of the Blind (ENAB) to expand access. The platform offers audiobooks in Afaan Oromo, Amharic, English, and Tigrinya.

Semu Audiobook, established in 2020, provides a growing library of audiobooks and podcasts in multiple languages in Ethiopia and East Africa. According to Ruth Habtemariam, the platform’s production manager, the application has been downloaded 34,000 times, with 2,000 active subscribers. It features content in Afaan Oromo, Amharic, English, French, Guragigna, and Tigrinya.

Tuba, another major ebook and audiobook platform, launched in March 2022, focusing on local literature. Co-founder Leykun Yilma said the platform boasts 200,000 subscribers and a catalog of 180 books, working with 100 authors.

These digital platforms provide new opportunities for authors and reshape how people consume books. As digital reading becomes more accessible, many are integrating books into their daily routines.

Eleni Tsegay, a marketing professional who reads 15 to 20 books a month, relies primarily on ebooks and audiobooks.

"Reading is my life," she said.

She listens to audiobooks while commuting and doing household chores, calling them a time-saver. Compared to physical books, which take longer to finish, she can complete an audiobook in a single day.