Prizes
The Caine Prize for African Writing is one of the most prestigious literary prizes in Africa. The Caine Prize for African Writing is a literary award that is presented annually to a writer of African origin or nationality for a short story published in English. The prize was established in 2000 and is named after the late Sir Michael Caine, a former chairman of Booker plc and a patron of the prize. The Caine Prize aims to promote African writing and bring it to a wider audience. The prize is open to writers from anywhere in Africa, regardless of whether they are resident on the continent or elsewhere. The shortlisted stories are published in an anthology, and the winner receives a cash prize and a month-long residency at Georgetown University in the United States. The Caine Prize has helped to launch the careers of many African writers, and it has played a significant role in raising the profile of African literature. Some of the notable winners of the prize include Binyavanga Wainaina, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Namwali Serpell.
African Writers Awards is an annual literary prize that recognizes and celebrates African writers who have made outstanding contributions to African literature. The award was established in 2016 and is open to writers of all genres, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. The African Writers Award seeks to promote African literature, encourage the development of young African writers, and raise awareness about African cultures and issues. The award is judged by a panel of experts in African literature, and winners receive a cash prize and recognition for their work.
The Kendeka Prize for African Literature is a non-profit company limited by guarantee registered in Kenya whose main objective, aim, vision, and mission is to nurture new and existing writers from the African Continent and the Diaspora by creating a platform for Africans to tell their stories not only on the continent but to reach wider audiences around the world. The Prize encourages upcoming writers to write on issues affecting Africa from an African perspective, thereby amplifying African voices worldwide.
Quramo Writers’ Prize is an annual literary prize in Nigeria that recognizes and rewards outstanding unpublished fiction manuscripts by African writers. The prize was established in 2017 by Quramo Publishing Limited, a Lagos-based publishing company, to promote African literature and support emerging African writers. The prize is open to unpublished works of fiction written in English by African writers who have not previously published a full-length book of fiction. The winner of the Quramo Writers’ Prize receives a cash prize of 1 million naira (approximately $2,700) and a publishing contract with Quramo Publishing.
The Brunel International African Poetry Prize is an annual poetry prize that is awarded to poets of African descent, including those living on the African continent or in the diaspora. The prize was founded in 2012 by the poet Bernardine Evaristo and the African Poetry Book Fund, and it is sponsored by Brunel University London. The aim of the Brunel International African Poetry Prize is to promote African poetry and support African poets. The prize is open to poets who have not yet published a full-length poetry collection, and the winner receives a cash prize as well as opportunities to attend literary events and have their work published in literary magazines.
The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa is a biennial literary prize established in 2006 by the Lumina Foundation to honor the life and work of Nigerian playwright and Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka. The prize is awarded to African writers who have produced works of outstanding literary merit in any genre, including fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and drama. The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature aims to promote African literature and bring it to a wider audience. The prize is open to writers of African descent, regardless of whether they live on the continent or elsewhere. The winner receives a cash prize, as well as a plaque and a citation.
Journal/Magazines
African Literature Today is a literary journal that has been published annually since 1968 and features fiction, poetry, and critical essays from African writers.
Kwani? is a Kenyan literary journal that publishes works by African writers, with a focus on promoting new and emerging voices.
Chimurenga is a South African journal that features essays, fiction, and poetry, with a focus on African politics, culture, and history.
Jalada is a pan-African literary collective that publishes a quarterly online journal featuring poetry, fiction, and non-fiction from African writers. Jalada’s activities include publishing literary works, organizing literary events and festivals, and providing workshops and mentorship programs for emerging African writers. The collective publishes an online literary magazine, Jalada Africa, which features poetry, fiction, non-fiction, and visual art from African writers and artists. Jalada has also published several anthologies, including the groundbreaking anthology “Ndoto Za Elibidi” (Dreams of Delight), which was published simultaneously in 17 African countries in 2014.
Brittle Paper is an online African literary magazine that publishes essays, fiction, poetry, and reviews. Brittle Paper features a wide range of literary content, including reviews, essays, interviews, and original fiction and poetry. The magazine’s mission is to promote African literature, amplify the voices of African writers, and foster a vibrant literary culture in Africa and beyond