The Caine Prize for African Writing is now accepting submissions! Publishers are invited to submit short stories by African writers for consideration until February 27, 2026.

The Caine Prize, Africa’s leading literary award for the short story, welcomes fictional short stories published between February 27, 2021 and February 27, 2026. The Prize celebrates African writers and their compelling storytelling, offering the winner recognition and a platform on the global literary stage.

Submission Guidelines

Eligibility:

• Stories must be published by a third-party publisher (physical books, digital books, literary journals, magazines, or arts-oriented websites). Self-published and unpublished works are not eligible.
• Writers must be African nationals or have a parent who is African by birth or nationality.
• Writers must be over 18 years of age at the time of submission.
• Stories must be between 3,000 and 10,000 words in length.
• Only fictional short stories are eligible. Children’s stories, factual writing, academic essays, plays, poetry, novels, and autobiography/biography are not eligible.
• Works translated into English from other languages are eligible.

Submission Process:

• Submissions open Monday, December 1, 2025 (00:01 GMT) and close Friday, February 27, 2026 (12:00 GMT).
• Entries must be submitted by the publisher, not the author. The publisher submitting cannot also be the author of the story.
• Publishers should provide a PDF version of digitally published stories or a PDF containing a link to the publication.
• Publishers must obtain the author’s consent before submitting.
• Publishers may submit multiple stories but not more than one story by the same author.
• Stories may only be entered once for consideration. Re-submissions are not permitted, even if previously not shortlisted.

Selection Process: Shortlisted writers will be invited to participate in Prize-related events including panel discussions, interviews, readings, and podcast recordings. The winner and shortlisted writers receive opportunities to engage with global literary audiences through online and in-person events.

If you have questions regarding eligibility criteria or the submission process, please email submissions@caineprize.com.

For complete submission guidelines and to submit, visit the Caine Prize website.