Afreximbank Announces Third Edition of Canex Prize for Publishing in Africa

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Afreximbank has announced the third edition of the CANEX Prize for Publishing, an arm of the CANEX Book Factory, to be supported by Narrative Landscape Press Limited.

Launched in 2020 by Afreximbank, the CANEX Book Factory spotlights and elevates the African book value chain through a Pan-African writing workshop, an e-newsletter highlighting African literature, and the prize for publishing.

The CANEX Prize for Publishing was inaugurated by Afreximbank in November 2023 and aims to promote and celebrate excellence in African and Caribbean publishing. Beginning this year, the Prize now reaches beyond the African continent into the wider African diaspora via the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and its environs (Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, and Panama). 

Delivered as part of CANEX Book Factory 2026, the Prize contributes to long-term intellectual property development, intra-African cultural trade, and the sustainability of Africa-Caribbean’s creative economy.

The competition is open to trade books first published in 2025 by African and Caribbean publishers. Eligible entries include:

  • Full-length fiction and nonfiction books
  • Collections of short stories by a single author or multiple authors
  • Collections of essays by a single author or multiple authors
  • Collected and selected poetry by a single author or multiple authors

Books must be published in any official African Union language, including Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, or any indigenous African language.

Submissions will be judged on the quality of writing, editing, and production. A USD20,000 prize will be awarded to the publisher of the best trade book in 2025. Trade books refer to books published for a general audience, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry, and exclude textbooks and academic books. Additionally, four finalists will each receive USD2,000 in prize money. The winner will be awarded during the CANEX WKND to be held in Lagos, Nigeria, between 5-8 November, 2026. 

By supporting the enabling environment for various creative sectors like fashion, music, film, art, literature, gastronomy, and sport, CANEX seeks to aid the advancement and expansion of the creative and cultural economy, both within Africa and the diaspora, utilising various financial and non-financial tools and initiatives.

CANEX invites publishers in Africa to submit published trade books for the inaugural CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa. To submit your entry, please click HERE.

For enquiries, please email pubprize@narrativelandscape.com. Applications opened on 14 May 2026 and will close on 30 June 2026.

Bakare Oluwatobiloba