The inaugural CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa was awarded in a prestigious ceremony held in Algiers, during the CANEX Weekend. Organised as part of Afreximbank’s CANEX Book Factory initiative in partnership with Narrative Landscape Press Limited, the event honoured outstanding achievements by African publishing companies. The dinner was hosted by the Honourable Minister of Culture and Arts of Algeria, Mrs Soraya Mouloudji.
An Evening of Celebration
The event took place during an exclusive dinner featuring an African Union-themed menu curated by chefs from Algeria, Trinidad, and Nigeria. The programme host, Fatima Sharif, introduced Dr Eghosa Imasuen, co-founder of Narrative Landscape Press Limited and Programme Manager for the CANEX Book Factory. Dr Imasuen expressed gratitude to Afreximbank and CANEX for their ongoing support of African publishing. He highlighted the significance of the prize trophy, a bronze sculpture crafted by the famed bronze casters of Benin City and engraved with the Adinkra symbol nkyinkyim, symbolising resilience and adaptability.
Dr Imasuen was joined by Mr Omar Ben Yedder of IC Publications and Ms Lavaille Lavette of One Street Books, who each gave short speeches on the importance of telling African stories. They underscored how vital it is to invest in the continent’s rich literary heritage.
Finalists
The award evaluates entries based on the quality of writing, editing, and production, with particular emphasis on books printed and produced in Africa, as well as those published in Indigenous African languages. This year, eighty-five entries were received by the prize administrators from forty-five publishers across Africa, representing a diverse range of languages, including English, French, Portuguese, and Swahili. Five publishing houses were shortlisted for the CANEX Prize, with each being recognised for their exceptional contributions to the African literary landscape. Dr Wale Okediran, Chair of the Judges, read out the citations for each shortlisted book, as representatives from the respective publishing houses collected medals on their behalf.
- Cassava Republic Press (Nigeria), shortlisted for Female Fear Factory: Unravelling Patriarchy’s Culture of Violence by Pumla Dineo Gqola, was praised for its “solid cover design, elegant layout, and contribution to feminist literature.” Layla Mohamed, Editor at Cassava Republic, collected the medal on behalf of the publishing house.
- Jacana Media (South Africa) was honoured for Paperless by Buntu Siwisa, which the judges described as “a beautifully written story of the hidden lives of migrant workers in Africa.” Kelly Mawa, Publishing Assistant at Jacana Media, accepted the medal on behalf of the company.
- Kachifo Limited (Nigeria), recognised for Half Hour Hara by Ugo Anidi, was celebrated for being “a delightful and engaging children’s story” with “well-crafted illustrations.” Coco Anetor-Sokei, Managing Editor, collected the medal for Kachifo Limited.
- La Case des Lucioles (Côte d’Ivoire), shortlisted for Reine Or by Fatou Sy, was praised for its “brave design and theatrical presentation.” Unfortunately, no representative from La Case des Lucioles could attend the event, and their medal was collected on their behalf by Dr Eghosa Imasuen.
- Masobe Books (Nigeria) was shortlisted for When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim, which the judges commended for its “meticulous writing and eye-catching cover design.” Othuke Ominiabohs, Managing Director, received the medal for Masobe Books.
Presentation of Medals
The medals were presented to the finalists by dignitaries that included Mrs Soraya Mouloudji (Algerian Minister of Culture and Arts), Mrs Kanayo Awani (Executive Vice President, Intra-African Trade Bank at Afreximbank), and H.E. Ambassador Minata Samate Cessouma (Commissioner for Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development at the African Union Commission).
Winner Announcement
The winner of the inaugural CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa was Cassava Republic Press for publishing Female Fear Factory: Unravelling Patriarchy’s Culture of Violence. Mrs Soraya Mouloudji and Mrs Kanayo Awani presented Layla Mohamed of Cassava Republic Press with the trophy. In her brief remarks, Mohamed expressed gratitude to the organisers and underscored the importance of African publishers continuing to champion diverse stories.
The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa rewards the best trade book publishers in Africa. A prize of $20,000 is awarded to the publisher – selected from a shortlist of five (5) finalists – of the best trade book (defined as books published for a general audience, including fiction, non-fiction, and poetry; and excluding textbooks and academic books) published in the year in question. Additionally, the remaining four (4) finalists in the shortlist are awarded the amount of $2,000 each.
Narrative Landscape Press, founded in 2016 by Anwuli Ojogwu and Eghosa Imasuen, is dedicated to distilling the essence of the publishing process and providing comprehensive services to other publishing houses and self-publishing authors within Nigeria. Their mission is to own the means of production, encompassing not just the printing of physical books, but also editorial and book design expertise. They strive to develop a cadre of excellent writers and have successfully ventured into traditional publishing, with notable acquisitions such as the works of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Their vision is to continue expanding their reach and impact within the literary community on the African continent.o celebrate excellence in African literature, is a highly sought-after award that recognizes authors who have made significant contributions to the literary landscape.
Pumla Dineo Gqola is a South African academic, writer, and gender activist, best known for her 2015 book, Rape: A South African Nightmare, which won the 2016 Alan Paton Award. She is a professor of literature at Nelson Mandela University, where she holds the South African Research Chair in African Feminist Imaginations.
Congratulations, Pumla!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
