Canex Longlist

The 2025 longlist for the CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa has been announced. The total prize fund is $28,000, with $20,000 awarded to the winner and $2,000 distributed to each of the four finalists. Now in its second edition, the prize honors publishers whose work offers homegrown perspectives on the continent, celebrating the best in African fiction and non-fiction. The long list was announced on Thursday, July 24, 2025, featuring eleven works selected from submissions across the continent by seasoned judges.

Established as a project of the African Export-Import Bank’s (Afreximbank) CANEX Book Factory and Narrative Landscape Press, the CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa is open to writers from across the African continent. The inaugural winner in 2024 was Female Fear Factory by Pumla Dineo Gqola, published by Cassava Republic, setting a high standard for this prestigious continental award.

This year’s longlist showcases the diversity of African publishing, featuring works that span fiction and non-fiction. The selection includes The Comrade’s Wife by Barbara Boswell (Jacana Media), exploring political and personal relationships in post-apartheid South Africa, and Broken by Fatima Bala (Masobe Books),which examines trauma and resilience. Dear Zimi by Chiziterem Chijioke (Quramo Books) offers intimate reflections on identity and belonging, while No Pink in the Rainbow by Angel Patricks Amegbe (Masobe Books) explores the impact of trauma, the difficult path of healing, and the transformational power of love.

The longlist also features In Silence My Heart Speaks by Thobeka Yose (Karavan Press), a moving memoir that depicts resilience as the author navigates trauma and loss, and A Blow To The Head: A History of Violence by Andries Du Toit (Modjaji Books), which examines the complex legacy of violence in South African society. Historical perspectives are represented through One Hundred Years of Dispossession by Lebogang Seale (Jacana Media) and Algériennes: De Mère en Fille by Hind Soyer (Casbah Editions), which traces women’s experiences across generations in Algeria.

Contemporary literary voices shine through Like Water for Sea by Olumide Popoola (Cassava Republic Press), a work that explores relationships, friendships and gender, and Half Portraits Under Water by Dennis Mugaa (Masobe Books), offering fresh perspectives of Kenya’s contemporary history. The academic contribution comes from The Black Atlantic’s Triple Burden by Adekeye Adebajo (Jacana Media), providing scholarly insight into African global connections.

The winner will be announced at the CANEX Weekend in Algiers, Algeria, from September 4th to 10th, 2025, bringing together publishers, authors, and literary enthusiasts from across the continent to celebrate African publishing excellence.

The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa represents a significant development in continental literary recognition, supporting publishers who are shaping narratives across Africa. By celebrating both established and emerging publishers, the prize continues its mission to amplify African voices and perspectives in global literary conversations.

Congratulations to all the longlisted publishers and authors for their outstanding contributions to African literature and publishing!