Here’s the 2026 shortlist for the Caine Prize for African Writing.

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 (Kenya) for “The Last Shop,” Jahazi Press (August 2024);

Melara Mvogdobo (Cameroon) for “Dieu Merci!,” Literatur.Review (August, 2025);

Akinwande Jordan (Nigeria) for “So Long Now It’s Starting To Look Like Eternity,” Naira Books (February 2026);

Yasmine Zohdi (Egypt) for “The Absence of Stains,” The Republic (August 2025); and

Simbarashe Steyn Kundizeza (Zimbabwe) for “The Blue Fighter,” The Shallow Tales Review, (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!