The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual award for African creative writing.
By Abioye Damilare Samson
The Caine Prize for African Writing has convened its nineteenth Writers’ Workshop in Stone Town, Zanzibar, in honour of the 2025 Chair of Judges, Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah. Ten writers from nine countries gathered for fourteen days (April 11–24) to develop works in progress, as well as learn from and be guided by editor and journalist Otieno Owino (Kenya) and writer and 2019 Caine Prize Winner, Lesley Nneka Arimah (Nigeria), who are serving as workshop facilitators.
This year’s participants include 2018 winner Makena Onjerika (Kenya); 2023 co-winner Mame Bougouma Diene (Senegal); Josiah Ikpe (Nigeria); Aba Amissah Asibon (Ghana); Franklyn Usouwa (Nigeria); Joshua Lubwama (Uganda); Philisiwe Twijnstra (South Africa); Neema Komba (Tanzania); Roxane Bayer (Namibia); and Nteranya Sanginga (Democratic Republic of Congo).
Commenting on the workshop, Otieno Owino says: “The writers have spent time discussing the craft of writing, while also refining their short stories for publication. It has been several days of robust discussions on the technical aspects of the short story and the sharing of useful feedback to improve the works in progress. During visits to Hamamni Secondary School in Stone Town, the writers shared tips about reading and writing with students and read from their works. These interactive sessions were a chance to make lasting connections with the school community and inspire future authors from Zanzibar”.
On Thursday, April 23, 2026, the Prize hosted An Evening of Readings at the Secret Garden, Emerson Spice Hotel, in collaboration with Emerson Spice Hotel, the Zanzibar Renaissance Literary Society (ZRLS), and Emerson’s Zanzibar Foundation. At the event, the ten writers read excerpts from their short stories and engaged in a question-and-answer session with members of the public. Guests from Tanzania’s literary, arts, and cultural communities, as well as members of the press, were in attendance.
Commenting on the writers and the event, Lesley Nneka Arimah says, “I am excited for the workshop participants to read from the stories they’ve worked so hard on during our time in Zanzibar. Some of the participants are old hands at public readings, but for most of them, this is the first time they’ll be reading in front of an audience. All of the writers have unique voices and stories to share”.
The full stories will be published in the 2026 Caine Prize Anthology, alongside the short stories from the writers shortlisted for the Prize this year. The 2026 Caine Prize Anthology will be published and available for purchase in Autumn 2026.
Susi Owusu, Interim Director of the Caine Prize, adds: “I am delighted by the stories created this year during the workshop. A huge thanks to our donors, the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust and Hawthornden Foundation, without whom these workshops could not happen. I’m also grateful to Ally Baharoon of ZRLS, who has helped us connect to the creativity in Stone Town and who relentlessly champions writing and reading of African authors, particularly through the ZRLS community library in Kiembe Samaki and the Zanzibar Book Fair”.
The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual award for African creative writing. Named after the late Sir Michael Caine, former Chairman of Booker plc and Chairman of the Booker Prize management committee for nearly 25 years, the Prize is awarded for a short story by an African writer published in English (indicative length 3,000 to 10,000 words).