Today, the Caine Prize for African Writing, which awards £10,000 annually to the best short story by an African writer living on the continent or in the diaspora, has announced its 2026 shortlist. These five writers were selected from a record 407 entries from 27 African countries:
Gladwell Pamba, from Kenya, for the short story “The Last Shop,” released by Jahazi Press in August 2024;
Cameroonian author Melara Mvogdobo for “Dieu Merci!,” appearing in Literatur.Review in August 2025;
Nigerian writer Akinwande Jordan for “So Long Now It’s Starting To Look Like Eternity,” published by Naira Books in February 2026;
Egyptian writer Yasmine Zohdi for “The Absence of Stains,” featured in The Republic in August 2025; and
Zimbabwean author Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeza for “The Blue Fighter,” published in The Shallow Tales Review in June 2024.
The winner of the 2026 Caine Prize will be announced at a ceremony in London in October and will then be presented with the Prize in their country of origin. Congratulations to the finalists!
