The Political Economy of Hausa Language Publishing in Nigeria: Structures, Inequalities, and Development Pathways

The production and distribution of published material in Hausa language is shaped by a distinctive political economy that intersects state patronage, religious institutional support, commercial market dynamics, and the legacy of colonial print culture infrastructure in northern Nigeria. This doctoral study analyses the political economy of Hausa language publishing in Nigeria, examining the structural conditions of production, the inequalities they generate, and possible development pathways for a more sustainable and equitable Hausa publishing sector. Drawing on political economy of media, sociology of publishing, and African language studies, the research employs a comprehensive five-year mixed-methods study. The political economy analysis draws on financial and production data collected from 25 Hausa publishing entities including government printers, university presses, commercial publishers, Islamic publishing houses, and digital content producers. In-depth interviews with 60 publishers, authors, distributors, booksellers, and readers examine the value chain of Hausa publishing from manuscript to reader. A statistical analysis of Hausa publishing output by genre, topic, and author gender from 2015 to 2024 examines structural inequalities in what gets published. Original findings document a highly fragmented publishing sector dominated by religious texts and commercial fiction, with academic, scientific, and professional literature severely underdeveloped. Gender inequalities in authorship and commercial access are documented, as are the structural disadvantages facing publishers in smaller northern Nigerian cities relative to Kano. Theoretical contributions include a Hausa Publishing Political Economy Framework that integrates language planning with media political economy. Recommendations address structural interventions for a more equitable and sustainable Hausa publishing sector. Keywords: Hausa publishing, Political economy, Language development, Nigeria, Print culture.