Now available in Africa and amplifying African voices in the research arena , the Africa Commons: West African Magazines collection 

Centurion, South Africa — Africa Commons: West African Magazines — a landmark digital collection featuring up to 50 000 pages of rare, historically significant, and culturally rich literary and popular publications from across West Africa is now available to researchers in Africa. Available digitally, some for the first time, this unique archive spans from the 1930s to the present, capturing decades of African literary and cultural evolution during both the pre-independence and post-independence periods. 

The collection features notable titles such as: 

• Nigeria (1937–1985) 
• Okyeame (1960–1972), a Ghanaian literary magazine 
• La Vie Africaine (1959–1965), focused on politics and current affairs 
• Black Orpheus (1957–1967), a seminal Nigerian literary journal 

“Africa Commons: West African Magazines showcases fiction, poetry, essays, reviews, and cultural commentary that reflect the rich literary traditions of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, and other West African nations,” says Sabinet Head of Product, Sanet Vos. “Approximately 80% of the materials are in English and 20% in French, broadening the reach and relevance of the collection to a wide academic audience.” 

The archive includes contributions from literary giants such as Chinua Achebe, Ama Ata Aidoo, Wole Soyinka, and Kofi Awoonor — authors whose work has helped define African literature and thought.  

Sabinet and Coherent Digital share a common goal of preserving African content and facilitating its accessibility to researchers in South Africa and Africa, making us ideal partners. Sabinet has a distribution agreement to make Africa Commons available in South Africa and across the rest of Africa. 

With applications across a wide range of disciplines, including African studies, history, political science, gender studies, education, and media studies, Africa Commons: West African Magazines will be an indispensable tool for research and teaching. 

The collection will be the fifth database released on Coherent Digital’s Africa Commons platform. Among them is the unique collection of South African Magazines, as well as the Southern African Films and Documentaries; East African Newspapers, Magazines & Films; and History and Culture collections.  

For more information, please contact:
info@sabinet.co.za | or visit Africa Commons