The Caine Prize for African Writing announced the Best of the Caine Award, the best of the stories from the last quarter century, on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. No new Caine Prize awardee will be announced this year.
The Caine Prize for African Writing is an annual literary award that recognizes excellence in African storytelling. Presented for the best short story published in English by an African writer, it is named after former Booker Prize management committee chairman Sir Michael Caine. Since its inception in 2000, it has recognised over 120 talented authors through its shortlist, winners, annual award and £10,000 prize purse.
The award is celebrating 25 years of honouring outstanding African writers who have gone on to make a profound impact on the literary world. In honour of this milestone year, the Prize will be replacing its traditional annual prize cycle with the ‘Best of Caine Award’, whereby three judges will decide on the best short story to have won the Caine Prize for African Writing in its 25 years (2000 – 2024). Previous winners whose stories will feature in this special anniversary contest are:
- Leila Aboulela (Sudan) for The Museum
- Helon Habila (Nigeria) for Love Poems
- Binyavanga Wainaina (Kenya) for Discovering Home
- Yvonne Owuor (Kenya) for Weight of Whispers
- Brian Chikwava (Zimbabwe) for Seventh Street Alchemy
- Segun Afolabi (Nigeria) for Monday Morning
- Mary Watson (South Africa) for Jungfrau
- Monica Arac de Nyeko (Uganda) for Jambula Tree
- Henrietta Rose-Innes (South Africa) for Poison
- EC Osondu (Nigeria) for Waiting
- Olufemi Terry (Sierra Leone) for Stickfighting Days
- NoViolet Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) for Hitting Budapest
- Rotimi Babatunde (Nigeria) for Bombay’s Republic
- Tope Folarin (Nigeria) for Miracle
- Okwiri Oduor (Kenya) for My Father’s Head
- Namwali Serpell (Zambia) for The Sack
- Lidudumalingani (South Africa) for Memories We Lost
- Bushra al-Fadil (Sudan) for The Story of the Girl whose Birds Flew Away
- Makena Onjerika (Kenya) for Fanta Blackcurrant
- Lesley Nneka Arimah (Nigeria) for Skinned
- Irenosen Okojie (Nigeria) for Grace Jones
- Meron Hadero (Ethiopia) for The Street Sweep
- Idza Luhumyo (Kenya) for Five Years Next Sunday
- Mame Bougouma Diene and Woppa Diallo (Senegal) for A Soul of Small Places
- Nadia Davids (South Africa) for Bridling
The judging panel for Best of the Caine will be revealed before the winner is announced.
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