By Leo Muzivoreva
As the literary world sets its sights on Maseru, Lesotho, for the highly anticipated 2025 African Writers Conference, the spotlight is equally fixed on a series of prestigious literary awards that continue to shape the continent’s creative landscape. The awards, which form an integral part of the conference’s annual celebrations, recognise and reward exceptional talent across poetry, prose, and children’s literature, affirming the vibrancy and diversity of African narratives.
This year marks the 8th edition of the esteemed African Writers Award, which invites submissions in two competitive categories—poetry and short stories—under the stirring theme “African Pride: A Cultural Narrative.” Writers are required to choose only one genre, with poetry entries limited to 14 lines, while short stories must fall between 3,000 to 5,000 words. Each category winner will walk away with a prize of $250, courtesy of sponsor Antony Onugba.
In the same spirit of literary excellence, the Wanjohi Prize for African Poetry returns for its second edition. This award, which honours the enduring contributions of Benny Wanjohi to African poetry, encourages originality and expressive use of poetic devices. With a theme of the writer’s choice, poets are invited to submit a single piece not exceeding 30 lines. The winning poet will receive $100, while the first runner-up will be awarded $50.
The fourth edition of the African Teen Writers Award continues to nurture the next generation of literary voices. Open to teens aged 13 to 16, this year’s theme “My Culture, My Pride” calls for entries in either poetry or prose. Each winning teen will receive $100, a token of encouragement sponsored by celebrated children’s author Nahida Esmail.
Children’s literature also takes centre stage with the 7th edition of the Wakini Kuria Prize. Bearing the evocative theme “Reclaim Roots, Imagine Futures,” this category celebrates stories crafted for young readers aged 6 to 12. Written in prose and not exceeding 1,200 words, the winning entry will be awarded $200, with the first and second runners-up receiving $150 and $100 respectively. The prize, also supported by Nahida Esmail, aims to cultivate storytelling that bridges heritage with imagination.
With submissions across all categories closing on 1 July 2025, these awards promise to ignite powerful stories that reflect, challenge, and celebrate African identities. As the continent’s finest literary minds converge in Lesotho later this year under the conference theme “Celebrating African Narratives: Uniting Cultures and Empowering Creatives,” the awards are set to honour those who give Africa its enduring literary heartbeat.
Writers are encouraged to submit their entries via the official awards platform at www.africanwritersawards.com, where full guidelines and eligibility criteria are also available.