[London, UK) – The Caine Prize for African Writing marks 25 years of honouring outstanding African writers who go on to make a profound impact on the literary world. Since its inception in 2000, the Prize has recognised (via its shortlist, winners, annual award and £10,000 prize purse) over 120 talented authors. We are immensely proud at the Prize to have been champions of these writers, in addition to the works of many more contemporary award-winning African authors.
In honour of this milestone year, the Prize will be replacing its traditional annual prize cycle with the ‘Best of Caine Award’, whereby three judges will decide on the best short story to have won the Caine Prize for African Writing in its 25 years (2000 – 2024). Our previous winners whose stories will feature in this special anniversary contest are:
Leila Aboulela (Sudan) for The Museum
Helon Habila (Nigeria) for Love Poems
Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya) for Discovering Home
Yvonne Owuor (Kenya) for Weight of Whispers
Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe) for Seventh Street Alchemy
Segun Afolabi (Nigeria) for Monday Morning
Mary Watson (South Africa) for Jungfrau
Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda) for Jambula Tree
Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) for Poison
EC Osondu (Nigeria) for Waiting
Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone) for Stickfighting Days
NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) for Hitting Budapest
Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria) for Bombay’s Republic
Tope Folarin (Nigeria) for Miracle
Okwiri Oduor (Kenya) for My Father’s Head
Namwali Serpell (Zambia) for The Sack
Lidudumalingani (South Africa) for Memories We Lost
Bushra al-Fadil (Sudan) for The Story of the Girl whose Birds Flew Away
Makena Onjerika (Kenya) for Fanta Blackcurrant
Lesley Nneka Arimah (Nigeria) for Skinned
Irenosen Okojie (Nigeria) for Grace Jones
Meron Hadero (Ethiopia) for The Street Sweep
Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) for Five Years Next Sunday
Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo (Senegal) for A Soul of Small Places
Nadia Davids (South Africa) for Bridling
As part of the 25th anniversary celebrations, the Prize will also collaborate with a range of partners to deliver online and in-person events across the continent and diaspora, spotlighting our distinguished alumni and their continued contribution to the literary canon. Full details will be announced at a later date.
In the meantime, we look forward to announcing this year’s judging panel and returning to our regular schedule in 2026.
-Ends
Media Contact: comms@caineprize.com
Press Package: Access via Dropbox here
About The Caine Prize for African Writing
The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual award for African creative writing. The Prize is awarded for a short story by an African writer published in English (indicative length 3,000 to 10,000 words). The Caine Prize for African Writing is named after the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc and Chairman of the Booker Prize management committee for nearly 25 years. The African winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Wole Soyinka and J M Coetzee, are Patrons of The Caine Prize. Ellah Wakatama OBE is the Chair.
An African writer is taken to mean someone who was born in Africa, or who is a national of an African country, or who has a parent who is African by birth or nationality. Works translated into English from other languages are not excluded, provided they have been published in translation, and should such a work win, a proportion of the prize would be awarded to the translator.