The shortlist for the 2024 Evaristo Prize for African Poetry is out, and it demonstrates high writerly representation from Nigeria and South Africa. The selected writers include Derek Ehiorobo, Kyle Okeke, Wale Ayinla, and Chisaraokwu from Nigeria, along with Nkateko Masinga from South Africa

The Evaristo Prize for African Poetry is an annual prize of USD $1,500 awarded to ten poems written by an African poet. Established first as the Brunel International African Poetry Prize (BIAPP) in 2012 by Bernardine Evaristo, who founded and managed the prize for ten years, the Evaristo Prize was renamed and passed on to be managed by the African Poetry Book Fund in 2022.

The aim of the prize is to “encourage a new generation of poets who might one day become an international presence.” Check out the full shortlist below:

The winner will be announced in May 2024. Congrats to the shortlisted writers, and good luck to them all!