Culture & Identity
The Caine Prize 2026 shortlist: five writers, five countries
Writers from Kenya, Cameroon, Nigeria, Egypt and Zimbabwe are in the running; the winner is named in London in October.
Key points
- Five writers are shortlisted for the 2026 Caine Prize for African Writing, chosen from a record 407 entries from 27 African countries.
- They are Gladwell Pamba (Kenya), Melara Mvogdobo (Cameroon), Akinwande Jordan (Nigeria), Yasmine Zohdi (Egypt) and Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeka (Zimbabwe).
- The winner will be announced at a ceremony in London in October 2026.
Five writers from five African countries are on the shortlist for the 2026 Caine Prize for African Writing, one of the continent's best-known literary awards for short fiction.
They were chosen from a record 407 entries from 27 African countries.
The shortlist
- Gladwell Pamba (Kenya), "The Last Shop"
- Melara Mvogdobo (Cameroon), "Dieu Merci!"
- Akinwande Jordan (Nigeria), "So Long Now It's Starting To Look Like Eternity"
- Yasmine Zohdi (Egypt), "The Absence of Stains"
- Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeka (Zimbabwe), "The Blue Fighter"
When is the winner announced?
The winner will be named at a ceremony in London in October 2026.
Why it matters
Since it began in 2000, the Caine Prize has helped launch the careers of many African writers. A record number of entries suggests a thriving short-fiction scene, with this year's shortlist spanning East, West, Central, North and Southern Africa.
Sources
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