The African Writers Award has announced its shortlist for its award, which recognizes and celebrates talented writers for their contributions to African Literature.
The award comprises the Teen African Awards for prose and poetry, the African Writers Awards for prose and poetry, the 7th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature and the 2nd Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry.
The 2025 African Writers Awards (Poetry)
- African Pride by Ngoni Moyo (Zimbabwe)
- I Am the Story by Shely Lakeh (Cameroon)
- The Fire We Carried in Our Bones by Chris Monday Anyigor (Nigeria)
- The Old Law of Griots by Daniel Naawenkangua Abukuri (Ghana)
- They Never Left by Colisile Tfwala (Eswatini)
The 2025 African Writers Awards (Short Story)
- ‘Build a Bird That Flies Backwards into Yesterday’ by Haliru Ali Musa (Nigeria)
- ‘Dust and Echoes’ by Amani Mosi (Zambia)
- ‘Home’ by Laurynn Tarus (Kenya)
- ‘Igba Nkwu’ by Favoh Samuel (Nigeria)
- ‘The Flame of Ubuntu’ by Kalenga Augustine Mulenga (Zambia)
The 7th Edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize for Children’s Literature
- Omeiza and the Talking Drum by Abdulrazaq Godwin Omeiza (Nigeria)
- Thandi and the Pond by Kondwani Bwalya (Zambia)
- The song of the Lost Garden by Kalenga Augustine Mulenga (Zambia)
- Wanjiru and the Talking Calabash by Nansubuga Jemimah Mukisa (Uganda)
- Zaza and the WiFi Tree by Natasha Zhou (Zimbabwe)
The 4th African Teen Writers Awards (Poetry)
- I was born between two Drums by Omotola K Goodness (Nigeria)
- Igbo by Odinakachukwu Ezeani (Nigeria)
- My Culture my Pride by Oyeleke Pelumi (Nigeria)
- The Body refuses Ornaments by Al Ameen Muhammad (Nigeria)
- Unveiling my Pride by Godwin Omeiza (Nigeria)
The 4th African Teen Writers Awards (Prose)
- My African Heritage by Mawunyo Ofosuah Agbesi (Ghana)
- My culture my Pride by Iranejeje Moise (Rwanda)
- My culture, my Pride by Confidence Isaiah (Nigeria)
- The home of Masquerades by Nifemi Kolawole (Nigeria)
The 2nd Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry
- Baobab Resolve by Moses Oduor (Kenya)
- Cycle of Trauma by Fortune Simeon (Nigeria)
- My Boy Shall not Die by Matthew Lee Gbigbi (Liberia)
- Spoiling the Broth by Kondwani Bwalya (Zambia)
- When the Earth Speaks by Lateef Jimoh (Nigeria)
The winners of each category will be announced at the 2025 African Writers Conference in Maseru, Lesotho, scheduled for October 27 to November 2.
Congratulations to all shortlisted writers!

Sarah Adeyemo
Sarah Adeyemo, SWAN IX, is a Nigerian poet, writer, editor, spoken word artiste and communication expert. The debut author of “The Shape of Silence”. She draws inspiration from solitude and experiences. She is a fellow of the SprinNG Writing Fellowship. Her works appeared or are forthcoming in The Shallow Tales Review, The Muse Journal, The Weganda Review, Everscribe Magazine, Afrillhill Press, Poems For Persons Interest, TV-63 Magazine, Northern Writers Forum Journal, Eboquills, Rinna Lit. Anthologies, and elsewhere. She's a member of the Swan Collective. She tweets @SarahInkspires.