We look back on a vibrant year of transitions, literary awards, festivals, publications, and essential conversations across African and Black literary communities, both on the continent and in the diaspora.
Since 2016, our annual recap has become a tradition at Writing Africa. You can look at previous recaps here; 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024.
2025 was another very active year in the literary communities on the continent and in the diaspora, with books published, festivals and book fairs organised and attended, awards handed out, and more.
Before we begin, a heartfelt thank you to everyone who supported this project in 2025—especially our dedicated Patreon supporters, such as Audrey, and all who made one-off donations. To support our work in 2026, please click here.
Without further ado, here is the recap.
Transition
The literary community mourned the loss of several foundational figures in 2025. We said goodbye to Nigerian poet and playwright Mabel Segun, UK novelist Alex Wheatle, Kenyan writer and academic Ngũgĩ Wa Thiong’o, St Lucia author and academic Dr Hazel Simmons-McDonald, Uganda’s Femrite founder Mary Karooro Okurut, Kenyan writer and academic John Habwe, South African author, translator, and academic Zoe Wicomb, Kenyan author Meja Mwangi, Kenyan academic Ruo Kimani-Ruo, and Kenyan novelist, playwright, actor, and academic David Mulwa.
Books, Literary Journals, and Magazines
It was an exceptionally prolific year for publishing across genres. Key roundups included BrittlePaper’s 100 Notable Books of the Year, LitHub’s list of Award-Winning Novels of 2025, and Afrocritik’s selections for Notable Books and 40 Notable Essays by African writers. Through our “Book Digest” series, we tracked new releases from writers across the continent and diaspora. Discover the full list here.
Literary Festivals, Colloquia, and Book Fairs
A record number of events convened readers, writers, and thinkers worldwide. For a full report on these gatherings, visit our dedicated recap here.
Literary Awards
2025 was filled with celebrations of literary excellence. For a complete overview of the year’s prizes and honorees, explore our 2025 Literary Awards recap.
Writing Africa remains committed to documenting the richness and evolution of African and Black literature, 2026 and beyond. Thank you for reading.
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