Afritondo has unveiled the shortlist for its 2026 Short Story Prize, narrowing its longlist of 15 outstanding writers to five finalists whose stories will now compete for the top prize.
The shortlisted writers and their stories are:
- Joe Lyimo — “Things We Don’t Say at the Border” (Tanzania/Austria)
- Lynette Sifiso — “Between Living and Gone” (Zimbabwe/United States)
- Owen Habel Lwanda — “The Sun of God” (Kenya)
- Ekenedirichuku Alita — “Ozoemekwanam” (Nigeria)
- Joe Ruzvidzo — “The Hollow Hill” (Zimbabwe/Switzerland)
Afritondo is a media and publishing platform dedicated to telling the stories of Africans and Black minority populations across the globe. With a mission to improve diversity in publishing, the platform provides aspiring and established writers with opportunities to share stories, essays, commentaries, and poems, while also publishing books and anthologies.
The overall winner of the prize will be announced during an online ceremony in May.
