A record-breaking 320 submissions from 28 African countries.

The Caine Prize for African Writing this year goes to South African author Nadia Davids for her short story, “Bridling,” published in The Georgia Review in 2023.

This year’s competition saw a record-breaking 320 submissions from 28 African countries, marking the 25th anniversary of the Caine Prize. Chair of Judges, Chika Unigwe, praised Bridling as a remarkable work that excels in language, storytelling, and risk-taking, while maintaining a tightly controlled narrative about rebellious women. Unigwe explained that the story embodies the Caine Prize’s mission to celebrate the diversity and richness of African short stories.

Nadia Davids joins a distinguished group of past winners, including Mame Bougouma Diene & Woppa Diallo (2023), Idza Luhumyo (2022), Meron Hadero (2021), and Irenosen Okjie (2020).

The judging panel for this year included poet, artist, and filmmaker Julianknxx; writer, scholar, and filmmaker Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu; Hip-Hop artist Tumi Molekane (Stogie T); and novelist Ayesha Harruna Attah.

Davids will receive the prestigious £10,000 prize and her work will be featured in the 2024 Caine Prize Anthology, Midnight In the Morgue and Other Stories, published by Cassava Republic Press. Runners-up Tryphena Yeboah, Samuel Kolawole, Uche Okonkwo, and Pemi Aguda will each receive £500 and have their stories included in the anthology. The 2024 anthology will also feature stories from this year’s workshop in Salima, Malawi.

Ellah Wakatama OBE, Chair of The Caine Prize Board of Trustees, expressed delight at the range and ambition of this year’s shortlisted stories, noting the pleasure of recognizing familiar names and introducing new voices.

The 2024 shortlist included:

  • Tryphena Yeboah (Ghana) for The Dishwashing Women, Narrative Magazine (Fall 2022)
  • Samuel Kolawole (Nigeria) for Adjustment of Status, New England Review, Vol. 44, #3 (Summer 2023)
  • Uche Okonkwo (Nigeria) for Animals, ZYZZYVA (2024)
  • Pemi Aguda (Nigeria) for Breastmilk, One Story, Issue #227 (2021)

Read more in the official press release.

This post first appeared in the TNPS LinkedIn newsletter.