We look back at the literary scene across Africa and its diaspora from transitions, literary award winners, festivals, books, journals, and everything in between in 2023.
In 2016, we started a series looking back at the year that passed which has since become a tradition here at this website. You can look at the recaps here; 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022.
2023 was a special year for this website as it turned 10 years old. What was supposed to be a celebration became a nightmare as the company hosting me was plagued by infighting and I was forced to leave and lose my domain. From JamesMurua.com, I opted to register WritingAfrica.com to host all my archiving on the Internet. You can read about the whole saga by clicking here.
The back and forth for the change meant that many stories didn’t make it to this archive; only 387 posts made it which is the lowest in years. In 2024, we will do better for sure. Here is a quick recap of this website’s archive of 2023; it’s a long read so buckle up.
Please note that you can find other excellent content like this from websites like Brittle Paper, Arablit, Open Country, and others by clicking here.
Transition
In 2023, we said goodbye to UK poet and writer Benjamin Zephaniah; Trinidad and Tobago author Michael Anthony; Nigerian academic and author Kole Omotoso; Kenyan playwright, academic, and poet Micere Mugo; Egyptian Novelist Hamdy Abu Golayyel; Author, poet, playwright, and academic Ama Ata Aidoo; South African writer Eusebius McKaiser; and Kenyan writer Karang’ae Chege. Our friends at Arablit also catalogued writers and translators who passed away in 2023, read that report by clicking here.
Awards
Africa and the Middle East
Continental
Awards that all Africans are eligible for.
- Graywolf Press Africa Fiction Prize 2023 – Kiprop Kimutai
- Caine Prize for African Writing 2023 – Mame Bougouma Diene, Woppa Diallo
- African Writers Awards 2023 – Marial Awendit, Chantelle Chiwetalu, Adedokun Ibrahim, and Divine Okpe.
- African Christian Authors Book Awards 2023 – various
- Canopus Awards 2023 – Jamiella Brooks, Chioniso Tsikisayi.
- ArabLit Story Prize 2023 – Ibrahim al-Koni, Dima El-Mouallem
- Morland Writing Scholarships 2023 – Rafeeat Aliyu, Mubanga Kalimamukwento, Kiprop Kimutai, and Remy Ngamije.
- Prix Ivoire for African Literature 2023 – Jennifer Richard
- Kendeka Prize for African Literature 2023 – Keabetswe Molotsi
- Quramo Writers’ Prize 2023 – Chiziterem Chijioke
- LOATAD West African Writers Residency 2023 – Roseline Mgbodichinma, Kwame Brenya, Tahnia Barrie, Ojo Taiye, Ese Emmanuel, Chris Parker Edzordzi Sefogah aka Megborna, Bachir Tamsir Niane, and Zenas Ubere.
- Sillerman First Book Prize 2023 – Abu Bakr Sadiq
- Rajat Neogy 2023 Fellows – Ese Emmanuel, Dennis Mugaa
- Prix Littéraire Les Afriques 2022 – Imbolo Mbue
- Evaristo Prize for African Poetry 2023 – Gracia Mwamba, Feranmi Ariyo
- Island Prize 2023 – Reem Gaafar
- Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023 (Africa) – Hana Gammon
- Prix Orange du Livre en Afrique 2023 – Michele Rakotoson
- Isele Prizes 2023 – Ashia Ajani, Jennifer Dickinson, and Chinonso Nzeh.
- Grand Prix Littéraire d’Afrique Noire 2022 – Nétonon Noël Ndjékéry
- Afritondo Short Story Prize 2023 – Alex Kadiri
- Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry 2022 – Togara Muzanenhamo
- Toyin Fálọlá Prize 2022 – Abdulrahim Hussani
- Multaqa Prize for the Arabic Short Story 2022 – Anis Arafai
- Safal-Cornell Kiswahili Prize for African Literature 2022 – Dotto Daudi Rangimoto, Salum Makamba
National
Awards where only writers from one nation are eligible.
- Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards 2023 (Namibia) – Roxane Bayer, Nina Van Zyl, and Veripuamu Nandee Kangumine
- South African Literary Awards 2023 (South Africa) – various.
- Sunday Times Literary Awards 2023 (South Africa) – Bulelwa Mabasa and CA Davids
- University of Johannesburg Prizes for South African Writing in English 2023 (South Africa): C.A. Davids and Pulane Mlilo Mpondo
- Humanities and Social Sciences Awards 2022 (South Africa) – Veronique Tadjo, Sarah Lubala, Terry-Ann Adams, and others.
- Zimbabwe’s National Arts Merit Awards 2023 (Zimbabwe) – Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu, Samantha R. Vazhure, Costa Chayambuka, and David Chasumba.
- Kenya Theatre Awards 2023 (Kenya) – Ngugi Wa Thiong’o, Ogutu Muraya.
- Ghana Association of Writers Literary Awards 2022 (Ghana) – Empi Baryeh, Doris Akosua Tay, Apiorkor Seyiram Ashong -Abbey, Gabriel Awuah Mainoo, and others.
- Yours2read Short Story Competition (Kenya) – Davis Tamba.
- Prix National Cénacle du Livre Senegal 2023 (Senegal) – Fatimata Diallo Ba, Aminata Ly Ndiaye, Papa Moussa Sy, and Papa Samba Kane.
- Grande Prémio de Cultura e Artes de Angola 2023 (Angola) – João Tala
- Grand Prix Littéraire du Bénin 2023 (Benin) – Florent Codjo Houndjo, Teddy Gandigbe
- Premio de Literatura DST Angola/Camões 2023 (Angola) – João Melo
- Abena Korantemaa Prize for Oral History 2023 (Ghana) – Madam Mercy Quansah and Adwoa Afframa Aggrey Sey
- NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2023 (Nigeria) – Obari Gomba
- Poda Poda Stories Fellows (Sierra Leone) – Josephine Kamara and Sulaiman Munda Bonnie
- Premio de Literatura José Craveirinha 2023 (Mozambique) – Marcelo Panguana
- Kalemba Short Story Prize 2023 (Zambia) – Sylvia Mbewe
- Festival International de Littérature de Dakar 2023 (Senegal) – Khalil Diallo, Tanella Boni, and Mbarek Ould Beyrouk.
- Prémio Literário Carlos Morgado 2023 (Mozambique) – Francisco Panguana Júnior
- Grand Prix Littéraire du Mont Cameroun – Djaïli Amadou Amal
- Festival de Literatura-Mundo do Sal (Cabo Verde) – Samira Lélis
- Awele Creative Trust Short Story Award 2022 (Nigeria) – Akunna James-Ibe
- Tuzo Nyerere (Tanzania) – Hamis Hussein Kibari, Amri Rajab Abdallah.
- Rentrée Littéraire du Mali 2023 – Mohamed Abdallah, Sibirina Zagan Coulibaly, and Amadou Tidiane Traore.
- Prix Makomi 2023 (DR Congo) – Baby Mapanga, Marc Kanyinda, Priscilla Mapendo, and Archip-Joseph Mukoko Ngondo.
- Sawiris Cultural Awards 2022 (Egypt) – Adel Asaad Merry, Osama Habashi, Areej Gamal, Omaima Sobhi, and others.
- Human Rights Defenders Award 2022 – Micere Mugo
The Americas
Awards on the American continent won by writers of African descent
- Premio Oceanos 2023 – Joaquim Arena
- World Fantasy Awards 2023 – Tananarive Due, Sheree Renée Thomas, Oghenechovwe Donald Ekpeki, and Zelda Knight.
- Hurston/Wright Foundation 2023 Legacy Awards 2023 – Meron Hadero, T.L. Huchu, James Hannaham, Margaret Burnham, Ross Gay, Courtney Faye Taylor, Ishmael Reed, Carol Anderson, and Troy Johnson.
- Hugo Awards 2023 – Nnedi Okorafor
- American Book Awards 2023 – Ayanna Lloyd Banwo, Kelly Lytle Hernández, Everett Hoagland, Leila Mottley, Darryl Pinckney, and Sherry Shenoda.
- Arab American Book Awards 2023 – Noor Naga
- Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival awards 2023 – Jade Leatham, Ethan Knowles
- Nebula Awards 2023 – C.L. Polk, K. Tempest Bradford
- NAACP Image Awards 2023 – Dolen Perkins-Valdez, Viola Davis, George McCalman, Robin Coste Lewis, and others.
- Museum of African Diaspora’s African Literary Award 2023 – Eloghosa Osunde
- Neustadt International Prize for Literature 2024 – Ananda Devi
- NGC Bocas Youth Writer Award 2023 – Alexandra C. Stewart
- Prêmio Juca Pato 2023 – Conceição Evaristo.
- Windham-Campbell Prize 2023 – Percival Everett, Dominique Morisseau, Jasmine Lee-Jones, and Alexis Pauline Gumbs
- Dorothy Livesay Poetry Prize 2023 – Otoniya J. Okot Bitek
- Guyana Prize for Literature 2023 – Ken Puddicombe
- PEN/Malamud Award 2023 – Edwidge Danticat
- Griffin Poetry Prize 2023 – Roger Reeves
- Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023 (Caribbean) – Kwame McPherson
- Pulitzer Prize 2023 – Carl Phillips, Robert Samuels, and Toluse Olorunnipa
- OCM Bocas Prize 2023 – Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
- Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award 2023 – Roger Reeves
Europe
Awards in Europe won by writers of African descent
- Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2023 (Global) – Kwame McPherson
- Royal Society of Literature International Writers – Scholastique Mukasonga, Yussef El Guindi, Lorna Goodison, Yaa Gyasi, and Attica Locke.
- Festival Di Poesia Civile Vercelli 2023 lifetime award – Susan Kiguli.
- Prix de la langue Française 2023 – Ananda Devi
- Forward Prize for Poetry 2023 – Jason Allen-Paisant, Malika Booker, and Momtaza Mehri
- DAAD Berlin Artist-in-Residents 2024 – Fiston Mwanza Mujila, Logan February
- Central European University Institute for Advanced Studies Writer-in-Resident – Moraa Gitaa
- Goldsboro Books Glass Bell Award 2023 – Ayanna Lloyd Banwo
- James Tait Black Prize 2023 – Darryl Pinckney
- International Aficionado Award – Lola Shoneyin, Ake Festival.
- PEN Translates 2023 – Scholastique Mukasonga, Touhfat Mouhtare
- Grand Prix de l’Héroïne Madame Figaro 2023 – Ananda Devi
- RSL Christopher Bland Prize 2023 – Paterson Joseph
- Jhalak Prize 2023 – Travis Alabanza
- Dylan Thomas Prize 2023 – Arinze Ifeakandu
- Prix Kourouma 2023 – Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse
- Rathbones Folio Prize 2023 – Margo Jefferson, Victoria Adukwei Bulley
- Herman de Coninck Prize 2023 – Alara Adilow
- Norway Author’s Freedom of Expression Award 2022 – Tsitsi Dangarembga
- Premio Inge Feltrinelli 2023 – Wayetu Moore
- Vergílio Ferreira Award 2023 – Ondjaki
- T.S. Eliot Prize for Poetry 2022 – Anthony Joseph
Asia
Awards in Asia won by writers of African descent
- Boao International Poetry Prize 2022 – Niyi Osundare
Books
Books that came out in 2023 that we mentioned
- Angola is Wherever I Plant My Field by João Melo
- What a Mother’s Love Don’t Teach You by Sharma Taylor
- Relations An Anthology of African and Diaspora Voices edited by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond
- Daughter in Exile by Bisi Adjapon
- Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments by TL Huchu
- Riambel by Priya Hein
- Dazzling by Chikodili Emelumadu
- Black and Female by Tsitsi Dangarembga
- Rootless by Krystle Zara Appiah
- When We Were Butterflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim
- The Heart is A Bastard edited by Zukiswa Wanner and Elias Mutani
- The God of Good Looks by Breanne Mc Ivor
- Nightbloom by Peace Adzo Medie
- The Middle Child by Chika Unigwe
- Song and Dread by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek
- The Beauty Hunters: Sudanese Bedouin Poetry, Evolution, and Impact by Adil Babikir
- Saltwater Demands A Psalm by Kweku Abimbola
- The Five Sorrowful Mysteries of Andy Africa by Stephen Buoro
- Azukar by Nii Ayikwei Parkes
- Para Onde Furam os Vivos by Eduardo Quive
- Mes deux papas by Éric Mukendi
- The Human Origins of Beatrice Porter and Other Essential Ghosts By Soraya Palmer
- A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀
- Slave, Interpreter, & Commissioner-General by Richard Oduor Oduku
- I write the yawning void by Sindiwe Magona (compiled by Renée Schatteman)
- Strictly Friends by Frances Mensah Williams
- Wana Wa Magere by Salim Busuru and Nur Cherubi
- Whispers from Vera by Goretti Kyomuhendo
- Mtama Road by Linda Musita
- Last Seen In Lapaz by Kwei Quartey
- The Fraud By Zadie Smith
- Langabi: Season of Beasts by Christopher Mlalazi
- River Mumma by Zalika Reid-Benta
- Look Again: Strangers by Ismail Einashe
- Edge of Here: Stories from Near to Now by Kelechi Okafor
- No One Dies Yet by Kobby Ben Ben
- And Suddenly The Flowers Withered And Other Stories by João Melo
- Wade in the Water A Novel By Nyani Nkrumah
- Shigidi and The Brass Head of Obalufon by Wole Talabi
- Avenues by Train By Farai Mudzingwa
- How to Say Babylon| A Memoir by Safiya Sinclair
- Womb City by Tlotlo Tsamaase
- Beyond the Door of No Return by David Diop
- Digging Stars by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
- The Gathering of Bastards by Romeo Oriogun
- Stars in Your Eyes By Kacen Callender
- Kwashala Blues by Jessemusse Cacinda
- The Emperors Son by Vamba Sherif
- Vignettes of People in an Apartheid State by Zukiswa Wanner
- The Moon Is Reading Us A Book by Serubiri Moses
- When the Vibe Is Right Novel by Sarah Dass
- Let Us Descend by Jesmyn Ward
- Sturge Town by Kwame Dawes
- Black Ghosts: A Journey Into the Lives of Africans in China by Noo Saro-Wiwa
- Mothersound: The Sauútiverse Anthology edited by Wole Talabi
- Sopro by Nelson Lineu
- Blackgirl on Mars By Lesley-Ann Brown
- Now Now: The 2023 Doek Anthology edited by Remy Ngamije
Literary Magazines
Literary Magazines that published at least one edition in 2023
- Jahazi
- Lolwe
- Yaba Left Review
- ArabLit Quarterly
- Imbiza
- Kikwetu Journal
- Pepper Coast Lit
- Isele Magazine
- Doek
- Ibua
- Iskanchi
- Umukarago
- Berkiab
- Ipikai
- Libretto
- Souffles
- Agbowo
- adda
- Efiko
- Omenana
- Transition
- Masobe Quarterly
- Jalada
- Johannesburg Review of Books
- Weganda
Literary Festivals and Book Fairs
Book fairs that happened across Africa and the world.
- Hausa International Book and Arts Festival – Nigeria
- Salon Du Livre de Mayotte 2023 – Mayotte
- LitFest Harare 2023 – Zimbabwe
- International Literature Festival – Uganda
- Festa Literária Internacional de Paraty 2023 – Brazil
- Labone Dialogues by NYU Accra – Ghana
- Ake Arts and Book Festival – Nigeria
- Gauteng International Book Festival – South Africa
- Quramo Festival of Words aka QFest 2023 – Nigeria
- Salon du Livre de Douala 2023 – Cameroon
- Nairobi International Book Fair 2023 – Kenya
- The 254 Kitabu Fest – Kenya
- British Virgin Islands Literary Festival 2023 – British Virgin Islands
- Pa Gya! A Literary Festival 2023 – Ghana
- Lagos Art & Books Festival 2023 – Nigeria
- Lagos International Poetry Festival 2023 – Nigeria
- NYrobi Book Fest 2023 – Kenya
- Kistrech International Poetry Festival 2023 – Kenya
- Ingcayizivele Book Festival – South Africa
- Macondo Literary Festival 2023 – Kenya
- Poetry Africa 2023 – South Africa
- Festival International le Souffle de l’Harmattan 2023 – Chad
- NBO LitFest 2023 – Kenya
- The International Black Writers Festival 2023 – USA
- Zanzibar Book Fair – Tanzania
- Soma Nami’s African Book Fair – Kenya
- Open Book Festival 2023 – South Africa
- Kakamega Book Festival 2023 – Kenya
- Feira do Livro de Maputo 2023 – Mozambique
- Black British Book Festival 2023 – United Kingdom
- Ghana International Book Fair 2023 – Ghana
- Hargeysa International Book Fair 2023 – Somaliland
- Salon du livre Athéna 2023 – Reunion
- Festival International du Livre et des Arts Assimiles Du Benin – Benin
- Kweli International Literary Festival 2023 – USA
- African Book Festival Berlin 2023 – Germany
- Abuja Literary and Arts Festival 2023 – Nigeria
- Sigana International Storytellers Festival 2023 – Kenya
- Festival International du Livre Gabonais et des Arts (FILIGA) – Gabon
- Salon International de l’Edition et du Livre – Morocco
- Calabash International Literary Festival – Jamaica
- Mogadishu Book Fair 2023 – Somalia
- Lire à Douala 2023 – Cameroon
- Time of the Writer 2023 – South Africa
- NGC Bocas Lit Fest 2023 – Trinidad and Tobago
- Rencontres Internationales du Livre Francophone Du Rwanda 2023 – Rwanda
- Salon du Livre Africain de Paris 2023 – France
- Johannesburg Festival of Women Writers – South Africa
- African Festival of Emerging Writers 2023 – Cameroon
- Nigeria International Book Fair 2023 – Nigeria
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