A longlist of sixteen names has been announced for the 2021 Afritondo Short Story Prize.

The prize, in its second year of running, confers a cash prize of $1,000 to an unpublished work of fiction (between 3,000 and 5,000 words) by an African/Black writer.

For the 2021 prize, the prize organizers announced that four additional shortlisted writers will be awarded $100 each. All stories by longlisted authors will be published in an anthology.

The 2021 prize is judged by Edwige Renée Dro, Maneo Mohale, and Kiprop Kimutai. The longlist features writers from Nigeria, South Africa, Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Malawi, UK and Zimbabwe.

Writers Remy Ngamije and Joshua Chizoma are making a second, consecutive appearance.

Here’s the full longlist:

  1. Joshua Chizoma – Collector of memories (Nigeria)
  2. Rémy Ngamije – The Hope, The Prayer, And The Anthem (or, The Fall So Far) (Namibia)
  3. Athol Williams – Silly Nelson (South Africa)
  4. Henry Mutua – Small mercies (Kenya)
  5. Dennis Mugaa – The distance in between (Kenya)
  6. Ken Lipenga Jr – Homeward (Malawi)
  7. Deborah Vuha – Roses of skin and iron (Ghana)
  8. Queen Nneoma Kanu – Tafetta (Nigeria)
  9. Lyop Dalyop – Blackie (Nigeria)
  10. Desta Haile – Ethio-Cubano (UK/Eritrea)
  11. Faraaz Mahomed – Gracious (South Africa)
  12. Chidera Nwume – Remember me (Nigeria)
  13. Ngansop Roy – To the son of my friend (Cameroon/UAE)
  14. Prosper Wilton Makara – A likeness in stone (Zimbabwe)
  15. Charles Muhumuza – Brown eyes (Uganda)
  16. Justin Clement – Human cities (Nigeria)

A shortlist of five will be announced in March 2021 and a winner soon after.

For more about the prize, head here. Congratulations to those longlisted!