Last updated: September 2026. Prices and availability were checked on the day of writing.
Walk into a Lagos studio, an Accra gallery or a Nairobi artists' collective and you will find work that is bold, technically serious and still, for now, fairly priced. Buying it from the UK used to mean knowing someone. Now most of it is a click away, which brings a different problem: telling an original painting from a print, and knowing what a fair price looks like before you commit.
This guide covers how to buy original African art online, what it costs, how to tell originals from prints, how delivery to the UK works, and a selection of pieces for sale right now at every budget.
What counts as original African art
An original is a single work made by hand: a painting, drawing, carving or mixed media piece. There is only one. The listing should name the medium (acrylic on canvas, oil, pastel, charcoal), give the exact size, and say whether it is framed.
A signed limited edition print is a high quality reproduction of an original, printed in a fixed number and signed by the artist. It is a good way to own work by an artist whose originals are out of reach. Look for the edition size and the print method, such as giclée on cotton paper.
Decorative pieces are made by hand in larger numbers: beaded masks, carvings and textile hangings. Each is still handmade and slightly different, but it is craft rather than a one of one artwork, and it is priced accordingly.
None of these is better than the others. What matters is that the listing tells you plainly which one you are buying.
How to tell an original from a reproduction
- Read the medium line. "Acrylic on canvas" or "oil on canvas" means paint on a surface. "Print on paper" or "canvas print" means a reproduction, however good it looks.
- Look for texture. Close up photos of an original show brush marks, raised paint, beads or rope standing off the surface. A print is flat.
- Check the stock number. An original has a stock of one. A listing offering 50 of the same "painting" is selling prints.
- Look for a signature and a date. Most painters sign the front, usually in a lower corner.
- Ask. A real artist is happy to send a photo of the back of the canvas or the work in progress.
What original African art costs
From what is on sale on Sokofa today, a rough guide:
- Under 150 GBP: signed prints, textile art, beaded wall pieces and smaller original paintings and drawings.
- 150 to 500 GBP: mid size original paintings, usually between 30 and 90 cm on the long side.
- 500 GBP and up: large originals and serious mixed media work from established contemporary artists, some well over a metre across.
Size, medium and the artist's reputation move the price far more than subject. A large canvas by an artist with exhibitions behind them will always cost more than a small study, however similar they look on screen.
Original African art for sale now
Every piece below is live on Sokofa and was checked on the day this guide was written. Originals are one of one, so some may sell.
Under 150 GBP
African Batik Wall Hanging, Mozambique, 35 GBP. A village scene in wax resist batik on cotton, 19 by 28 cm, made by hand in Mozambique. The fine veining in the colour comes from the batik process itself.
My Baby, signed limited edition print, 49.99 GBP. A signed print of an oil painting by the Lagos artist Chinemelu Ofoma. Standard A3, supplied unframed, so it fits an off the shelf frame.
Sankofa Bird Beaded Wall Mask, Ghana, 80 GBP. Hand carved sese wood covered in glass seed beads, with the Sankofa bird across the brow and a rim of cowrie shells. About 32 cm long.
In Her Arms, original pastel drawing, 115 GBP. A mother holding her sleeping baby, in pastel pencil on a chipboard panel, about 89 by 58 cm, by a Nigerian artist.
Girl in Blue, original oil painting, 119.32 GBP. A young girl in a quiet moment, in textured oil on canvas, 76 by 60 cm, from Uganda.
150 to 500 GBP
Before We Learned to Worry, 150 GBP. A small original portrait in acrylic on a hand cut oval canvas, 20 by 30 cm, from Nigeria.
Mother and Son, original acrylic, 220 GBP. A young mother in profile with her child on her back, in broad strokes of red, violet, green and gold. 33 by 51 cm, from Ghana.
Guardian of the Savannah, 445 GBP. A bull elephant walking out of a savannah sunset, in acrylic on stretched canvas, 90 by 60 cm, from Tanzania.
500 GBP and up
Beaded Mixed Media Canvas, 700 GBP. A one of one piece built up in beads, ceramic shards, clay and acrylic, 70 by 70 cm, from a studio in Kenya.
Adinkra Hene, raffia and acrylic, 1,477.71 GBP. The Adinkrahene symbol, chief of the Adinkra symbols, built in coiled raffia rope over layered acrylic. 90 by 90 cm, supplied framed, from Ghana.
Babá Onílù Ònírò, the elder talking drummer, 1,650 GBP. A Yoruba elder with his gangan, the talking drum, in acrylic on canvas, 91 by 122 cm, from Nigeria.
Poise by Victor Ubabike, 2,265 GBP. A large figurative work in the artist's geometric style, acrylic on canvas, about 91 by 107 cm, supplied unframed.
You can browse everything in African art, or go straight to paintings or wall art. For baskets, carvings and other handmade pieces, see African crafts.
Getting African art delivered to the UK
Delivery is the part most buyers do not think about until checkout, and with art it can be a real share of the cost.
Size and framing drive the price. Couriers charge on the size of the parcel as well as its weight, so a large framed canvas costs far more to send than a small one or a print.
Rolled canvas is cheaper. Many painters can remove a canvas from its stretcher bars and send it rolled in a tube, which cuts the delivery cost sharply. You then have it restretched or framed locally. Some listings say this, and where they do not, it is worth asking the artist.
See the cost before you pay. On Sokofa the delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout, before you pay, so there are no surprises afterwards.
Buying art from Sokofa
Sokofa is a UK marketplace for verified African artists and makers, most of them in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. Every seller goes through our Verified Seller Programme, delivery to your address is priced at checkout, and we deliver worldwide. If a piece arrives damaged, wrong or not as described, report it within 48 hours of delivery and it gets put right.
Keep reading
- Original African art vs mass produced prints
- How to bring African art into a modern British home
- Where to buy African paintings online
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy original African art in the UK
You can buy directly from African artists through online marketplaces such as Sokofa, which lists original paintings, drawings, mixed media and craft from artists in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Mozambique, with delivery to the UK.
How can I tell if African art is an original
Check the medium line (paint on canvas, not print on paper), look for raised texture and a signature in the close up photos, and check the stock. An original is one of one. If a listing offers dozens of the same painting, it is a print.
How much does original African art cost
Smaller original paintings and drawings start at around 115 to 150 GBP, mid size originals are typically 150 to 500 GBP, and large works by established contemporary artists can run from 500 GBP to several thousand. Signed limited edition prints start at around 50 GBP.
Do African paintings come framed
It depends on the piece, so check the listing. Some are sold framed, many large canvases are sold unframed, and prints are usually supplied flat and unframed so they fit a standard frame.
How much does it cost to ship a painting from Africa to the UK
It depends on the size, weight and framing of the piece. A print or a small canvas costs far less to send than a large framed work. On Sokofa the exact delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay.
What is a signed limited edition print
A high quality reproduction of an original artwork, printed in a fixed number and signed by the artist. It lets you own an artist's work at a fraction of the price of the original painting.
