Élékéré Press has announced the seven writers shortlisted for the inaugural Élékéré Short Story Prize, selected from more than 200 submissions received across Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, the United States, Zimbabwe and elsewhere, for the 2026 prize.
The shortlist brings together Shirley Strickland, Olúwatúnmise Otolórìn Akìgbógun, Black Edward, Ezimadu Ugorji Timothy, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, Gabriel Divinefavour Onyekachi, and Haliru Ali Musa.
Launched in 2026, the Élékéré Short Story Prize was established to recognise outstanding unpublished short fiction by Black writers across Africa and the diaspora. For its inaugural edition, writers were invited to respond to the theme “Inheritance,” with stories considering what is passed down, carried forward, resisted, remembered, or remade.
The seven shortlisted writers are:
- “Sweet Salt” by Olúwatúnmiṣe Ọ̀tọ̀lórìn Akìgbógun (Nigeria)
- “The Tick” by Gabriel Divinefavour Onyekachi (Nigeria)
- “Tomato Baby” by Timothy Ugorji (Nigeria)
- “Name Equations” by Oghenechovwe Ekpeki (Nigeria)
- “N/A, Check Next Visit” by Haliru Ali Musa (Nigeria)
- “Image of A Man” by Shirley Strickland (United States)
- “The Inheritance of Hands” by Black Edward (Zimbabwe)
Olly Nze, Editor at Élékéré Press, said:
“This prize was launched to spotlight, celebrate, and empower the talent of Black and African writers. The result is a diverse shortlist of incredible writers from all around the globe and all walks of life. This shortlist not only demonstrates the incredibly varied spectrum of writing from the continent and around the world, but also exemplifies the ethos of Elekere Press: challenging what it means to tell Black and African stories.”
The shortlist was selected from more than 200 entries submitted to the prize. The Press had a total of four reader judges, chaired by Arinze Ifeakandu, author of God’s Children are Little Broken Things.
The winner of the 2026 Élékéré Prize for Fiction will receive $500 and will be announced on 2nd November 2026. The winning story will be published on Élékéré Press’s Website.
About Élékéré Press
Élékéré is the Igbo word for the hour hand of the clock.
Élékéré Press is an independent literary press publishing daring, imaginative work by African writers on the continent and in the diaspora. We are drawn to stories rooted in lived experience—work that is tender, disruptive, experimental, or difficult to place neatly within the boundaries of genre.
Their list hopes to span literary fiction, intimate and erotic writing, feminist work, experimental forms, and books that resist easy categorisation. At the heart of Élékéré is a belief that important stories should not have to wait for permission or for the world to decide that their time has come.
Congratulations to the shortlisted writers!
