Sọna App Review: The African E-reader You Probably Don’t Know About (But Should)

Sọna is a digital publishing and reading platform built specifically for African writers, publishers, and readers.

African readers, especially Nigerians, already know the struggle that comes with accessing and reading quality books without resorting to piracy. 

Physical copies are expensive, international shipping is a nightmare, and most global ebook platforms either don’t support local payment methods or simply don’t support upcoming authors. 

Kindle will charge you in dollars. Kobo will make you jump through hoops. And don’t even get me started on finding a local author on any of them.

Then here comes Sọna, the app that’s trying to solve most of our reading woes. I say most because I don’t think there’s an app that can solve all our reading issues. But this one comes pretty close. 

What Is Sọna?

Sọna is a digital publishing and reading platform built specifically for African writers, publishers, and readers. You browse and purchase books on the website (readsona.com), then read them in the Sọna Reader app on iOS or Android. 

The catalog is led by African and diaspora authors, prices are displayed in naira on the storefront, and free and discounted titles are available alongside paid books. 

It’s essentially what we’ve always wanted—an ebook platform that helps emerging authors and also serves readers. 

Getting Started

Signing up is painless. You can create an account with your email and password or just sign in directly with your Google account — which, honestly, is always the best move. 

Once you’re in, the interface greets you with warm color palettes that feel intentional rather than generic. It’s clean, easy to navigate, and doesn’t make you feel like you need a tutorial just to find a book.

Searching for titles or authors works exactly as you’d expect. Each book page shows a quick synopsis, and you have the option to add to cart, read a free sample, or gift the book to someone else. 

The gifting feature is a quiet standout — you add the recipient’s email, pay, and the book lands in their inbox. 

Perfect for the reader friend who has everything except time to go to a bookshop. It’s a thoughtful gift for book readers. 

Payment is powered by Paystack checkout, covering bank transfer, card, and USSD. It’s a fully functional and seamless integration. 

One Thing to Note

Purchasing happens on the website, and full reading happens in the app. It’s a clear split once you understand it.

First-time users might find it slightly confusing if they try to read a book directly from the browser and get redirected back to the app. 

If you download the app before you buy anything, you’ll be fine.

The Reading Experience

This is where Sọna earns its keep.

The app has all the standard e-reader customization you’d want — light, sepia, dark, and black themes, plus controls for font type, size, margins, and spacing. 

Font and Custom Settings

I’m a Sans font, sepia by day, dark by night person, and Sọna accommodates all of that without making me navigate seventeen menus to find the settings. 

The small details matter, and Sọna gets that.

Reading Goals/Streaks

There’s a reading goals section at the top of the app that tracks how long you’ve read in a day, lets you set daily reading targets, and shows your reading streak. If you’re the type of person who lives for streaks (I know I am), this will bring you genuine joy. 

Reading Targets

Sọna also has an annual reading target feature, similar to the Goodreads reading challenge. It’s where you set the number of books you want to finish by the end of the year and the app quietly judges you every time you fall behind.

Other Perks

Bookmarks, highlights in multiple colors, and notes are all available and sync across devices, so you can start a chapter on your phone during your commute and pick it up on your tablet at home without losing your place. That cross-device sync is something I genuinely appreciate.

The app also doesn’t block screenshots, which is a small but meaningful win. Sometimes you read a line so good you need to screenshot it and send it to someone immediately. Sọna lets you do that.

Certain other reading apps have decided screenshots are a crime, and those apps are annoying (but I get they do it to block piracy).

Sọna Features Worth Talking About

Import your Own Books

This is a big one. If you have ePub files sitting on your phone or in your Google Drive, you can import them directly into Sọna and read them in the app. 

Sọna functions as a full e-reader, not just a storefront for its own catalog. Unlike some African reading apps that lock you into only their own titles, Sọna lets you bring your whole library along.

The eARC Hub

This is for the book reviewers and early readers in the room. You can apply to join Sọna’s eARC hub and request advance copies of upcoming titles from certain authors before they officially launch. You read them in your Sọna library and leave a verified review. 

It requires setting up a separate reviewer profile. Still, if you’re serious about reading African literature and want to be part of the conversation before the rest of the internet catches up, this is a genuinely exciting feature.

Author Following

You can follow authors directly on the platform and get notified about new releases and announcements. 

For readers who track specific Nigerian or African authors, this is a lovely addition.

Newsletters and Monthly Picks

When you sign up, you’re added to Sọna’s newsletter, which covers top titles, what readers consumed most that week or month, new features, upcoming releases, and blog articles. There’s also a monthly picks section that features three books for different moods. 

Adult Content Toggle

There’s a setting in your profile to enable or disable 18+ content. Useful for parents who want to manage what younger readers in their household can access, and also just good practice for a platform that caters to a wide audience.

What Could Be Better

The one thing I genuinely wish existed? The ability to read directly on the website. 

If you’re on your laptop and want to read a few pages between tasks, you can’t. The browser redirects you back to the app. A web reader would make the experience feel truly seamless, especially for people who split their time between phone and laptop.

The catalog, while growing steadily, is still building out. Depending on what you’re looking for, you might not find every title you want yet. But given that the platform is Africa-focused and relatively young, that’s more a matter of time than a fundamental flaw.

The Verdict

Sọna is genuinely worth having on your phone, especially if you read African fiction and want a platform that’s actually built with you in mind. 

The affordable pricing (titles starting around ₦1,000, with a discount section and free classics like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, and Little Women for when you want something familiar), import feature, reading goal tracking, and the eARC hub make it a strong all-around e-reader.  

It supports African authors by giving them a platform to sell their work directly to readers across the continent, which matters more than most people realize.

Every book you buy on Sọna is money that goes directly into that ecosystem.

You can download Sọna, explore the catalog, import your e-books, and track your reading streak while you quietly spiral as you try to hit your annual goal. 

That’s the full Sọna experience (with more features in the works).

FAQs

Is the Sọna App free to download?

Yes. The Sọna Reader app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play Store. You’ll need to create an account or sign in with Google to access your library and the app’s full features.

Where do you buy books on Sọna?

Purchasing happens on the website at readsona.com, not directly in the app. Once you complete your purchase, the book automatically appears in your library, and you can read it in the app.

Can you read Sọna books offline?

Yes. Books sync to your device and can be read offline. Your bookmarks, highlights, and notes also sync across devices so you can pick up wherever you left off.

Can you import books that aren’t from Sọna’s catalog?

Yes, and this is one of the app’s best features. You can import ePub files from your device or Google Drive and read them directly in the Sọna Reader, making it a full e-reader and not just a platform storefront.

What payment methods does Sọna accept?

Sọna uses Paystack checkout, which supports bank transfer, card payment, and USSD. No need for a dollar card. 

What is the Sọna eARC Hub?

The eARC Hub allows readers to request advance copies of upcoming titles, read them in their Sọna library, and leave a verified review before the book officially launches. You’ll need to set up a separate reviewer profile to apply.