Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), an intervention by the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank), invites African and Caribbean publishers of trade books to apply for the third edition of the CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa. Submissions close June 30, 2026.

The prize is open to trade books published by publishers domiciled in Africa or member countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), in one or more of the official languages of the African Union: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, and any African language. The publication date must fall within the preceding calendar year, from January 1 to December 31. Publishers may submit up to four titles. Winners and finalists will be announced and celebrated at the CANEX Book Factory ceremony, part of CANEX WKND 2026 in Lagos, Nigeria, from November 5 to 8, 2026.

The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa is designed to celebrate and recognise publishers who produce, own, and monetise African and Caribbean intellectual property, recognising excellence in editorial quality, design, innovation, distribution, and cultural impact. The initiative is produced in partnership with Narrative Landscape Press Limited and underscores Afreximbank’s commitment through the CANEX Book Factory to showcasing Africa’s literary and publishing value chain and developing literary talent across the continent, its diaspora, and the Caribbean. The second edition of the prize was won by Bahia Press for Korieh by Abi Daré, the English-language debut novel of the author of The Girl with the Louding Voice.

Submission guidelines: Books must be originally published by African or Caribbean-owned publishers operating within Africa or CARICOM. Unpublished manuscripts are not eligible. Publishers selected as finalists must share 10% of their prize money with the author of the submitted book, and must send a representative to the CANEX Book Factory events, with travel costs covered by CANEX. Graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and comics are eligible provided they meet other eligibility requirements. Self-published books published through proprietary services such as Kindle Direct Publishing are not eligible; however, self-publishers who publish more than one author and do not use proprietary online publishing services may be eligible, subject to catalogue verification.

For questions about submissions, contact the Awards Manager at [email protected]. Technical questions regarding entry forms should be directed to [email protected]. See full guidelines and submit at bookfactory2026.evalato.com.