In Nigeria, print on demand means printing a small run when you need it, and bulk printing means printing hundreds or thousands of copies at once to get a low price per copy. Print on demand costs more per copy but far less in total and carries no stock risk. Bulk costs less per copy but needs a large payment up front and a plan to sell every copy.
All the prices below come from the Kobo Publishing instant price calculator on 22 October 2026, for an A5 paperback in black and white on white paper with a 250gsm laminated cover. Prices change with your page count, size and options, so check the calculator for your own book.
What each option means
Print on demand (small runs)
You print only what you can sell soon. At Kobo Publishing the smallest print run is 25 copies, and you can reprint whenever stock runs out. You can also order one sample copy first to check the paper, the cover and the layout before committing to a run.
Bulk printing (large runs)
You print 300, 500, 1,000 or more copies in one go. The press spreads its setup cost over many copies, so each copy is cheaper, but you pay for all of them before you sell any.
What it costs: a 100-page A5 paperback
| Copies | Total price | Per copy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (sample copy) | ₦25,250 | ₦25,250 |
| 25 | ₦137,500 | ₦5,250 |
| 50 | ₦275,000 | ₦5,250 |
| 100 | ₦403,000 | ₦3,780 |
| 300 | ₦818,400 | ₦2,478 |
| 500 | ₦971,000 | ₦1,692 |
| 1,000 | ₦1,332,700 | ₦1,083 |
The same book at 200 pages costs ₦231,250 for 25 copies (₦9,000 a copy), ₦673,000 for 100 copies (₦6,480 a copy) and ₦1,899,700 for 1,000 copies (₦1,650 a copy). More pages means a higher cost per copy at every quantity.
How to read those numbers
- The per-copy price falls as you print more. Going from 25 to 1,000 copies of the 100-page book drops the cost per copy from ₦5,250 to ₦1,083.
- The total you must pay rises much faster. ₦137,500 for 25 copies against ₦1,332,700 for 1,000 copies is almost ten times the cash for forty times the books.
- A cheap copy you cannot sell is not cheap. If you sell 150 of 1,000 copies, the other 850 are money tied up in storage.
When print on demand makes sense
- It is your first book and you do not know how many people will buy it.
- You plan to sell through WhatsApp, events or a pre-order page and can reprint when stock runs low.
- You want to check quality with one sample before a run.
- You may update the book (a new edition, corrections) and do not want old stock.
When bulk printing makes sense
- You already have orders for a few hundred copies, for example a school, a church, a company or an event.
- You have a proven sales channel and you reprint every few months.
- The book will not change.
- You can store the books safely and have the cash.
A middle route: pre-sell, then print
You do not have to choose before you know your demand. A pre-order campaign lets readers fund the first run: you set a price, share a link, and print once 25 copies are ordered. Kobo then ships a copy to each reader. If demand is strong, your next run can be larger and cheaper per copy.
Other things that change the price
- Paper: cream paper costs more than white. On 25 copies of the 100-page book, cream adds ₦6,250 in total.
- Colour inside: a full-colour interior is much more expensive than black and white. The same 100-page book in full colour is ₦543,750 for 25 copies.
- Size: A4 costs more than A5 at the same page count (₦243,750 for 25 copies of a 100-page A4 book).
- Extras: cover design, interior layout, proofreading and an ISBN are priced separately and shown in the calculator.
Hidden costs people forget
- Storage. A carton of 100 A5 paperbacks takes space and must stay dry. Humidity and pests damage unsold stock.
- Delivery. Moving boxes to buyers costs time and money. With print on demand, Kobo ships a copy to each reader and the delivery fee is charged to the buyer.
- Changes. If you spot a typo after printing 1,000 copies, you live with it or reprint. A small run means a small mistake.
- Cash flow. Money spent on printing is money you cannot spend on promotion, which is what actually sells books.
An example: two authors, the same book
Two authors each finish a 100-page A5 book and plan to sell it at ₦10,000 a copy. The first prints 1,000 copies for ₦1,332,700 and sells 120 in the first three months. She has earned ₦1,200,000 in sales but spent over ₦1.3 million, and 880 books sit in a store room. The second prints 25 copies for ₦137,500, sells them in three weeks, reprints 100 copies for ₦403,000 and sells those too. His cost per copy was higher at the start, but his cash was never tied up in stock that did not move.
Neither choice is wrong. The right one depends on how many readers you can reach, which is why testing demand first is the sensible move for a first book.
Quality check before any big run
Whatever size you choose, look at a printed copy before you commit to a large order. Order a single sample copy (₦25,250 for the 100-page example) and check the cover colours, the paper, the margins and the spine. Fixing a layout problem on one copy costs a few thousand naira; fixing it on 1,000 copies costs far more.
How to decide
- Write down how many copies you are confident you can sell in the next three months.
- Open the price calculator and try that number, and a smaller one.
- Compare the total cash for each with what you can afford to lose if the books sit unsold.
- If you are unsure, print the smallest run, sell it, and reprint.
Kobo Publishing prints from 25 copies and delivers across Nigeria and abroad. See our pages on print on demand in Nigeria and book printing in Lagos, and read how many copies you should print first.
Frequently asked questions
What is print on demand?
Print on demand means you print only the copies you need, when you need them, instead of a large run in advance. At Kobo Publishing the smallest run is 25 copies, and you can order a single sample copy to check the quality.
What is the minimum I can print at Kobo Publishing?
25 copies for a print run. If you want to see one copy first, you can order a single sample copy (₦25,250 for a 100-page A5 book on 22 October 2026).
Is printing in bulk always cheaper per copy?
Yes, per copy. For a 100-page A5 paperback the calculator shows ₦5,250 a copy at 25 copies and ₦1,083 a copy at 1,000 copies. But the total you pay is much higher, and unsold copies are money you cannot get back.
How long does printing take?
Ready in 5–7 working days after your files are approved and payment is confirmed. Delivery time depends on the address.
What changes the price of a print run?
The number of pages, the book size, the paper (white or cream), black and white or colour inside, the binding and the number of copies. Use the instant price calculator for your own book.