Afreximbank has officially announced the launch of the 2024 CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa, a collaborative initiative between the CANEX Book Factory and Narrative Landscape Press Limited.
The CANEX Book Factory, an essential component of the CANEX programme, seeks to invigorate the literary scene across Global Africa and foster a sustainable business ecosystem within the literary sector. Launched in 2020 by Afreximbank, CANEX aims to drive development and job creation by tapping into the creative and cultural industries' vast potential.
This initiative will elevate the African literary landscape through various activities, including a Pan-African writing workshop, an e-newsletter dedicated to African literature, and the prestigious CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa. The programme will culminate in an Award Ceremony at the CANEX WKND, scheduled to take place in Algiers, Algeria, from October 16-19, 2024.
The CANEX Prize will award USD 20,000 to the publisher of the best trade book, a category that includes fiction, non-fiction, and poetry aimed at a general audience, excluding textbooks and academic works. Additionally, four finalists will each receive USD 2,000.
Commenting on the launch, Mrs. Kanayo Awani, Executive Vice President-Intra African Trade and Export Development Bank at Afreximbank said: "We are thrilled to announce the launch of The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa, a pioneering initiative by Afreximbank aimed at promoting and celebrating excellence in African publishing. This prize underscores our commitment to nurturing Africa's creative industries and supporting the vibrant literary landscape across the continent. Through the CANEX Prize, we aim to recognize and empower African authors and publishers who play a vital role in shaping our cultural identity and enriching our communities through literature in what is a multi-billion-dollar industry."
On the importance of initiatives such as CANEX, renowned writer and novelist, Ms. Chimamanda Adichie said: “Imagine being an African, dreaming about being a writer, surrounded by people in a room who share the same interests, it propels you, it gives you hope. I’ve always believed that there is nothing more essential to the human spirit than hope. For me, CANEX is about hope – the hope of many more African stories.”
Submissions will be judged on the quality of writing, editing and production. Priority will be given to books printed and produced on the African continent as well as to books published in indigenous African languages. A key concession for the inaugural year (2024) is that books published in the preceding two years will be considered.
By supporting the enabling environment for various creative sectors like fashion, music, film, art, literature, gastronomy, and sport; CANEX seeks to support the advancement and expansion of the creative and cultural economy, both within Africa and the diaspora, utilizing various financial and non-financial tools and initiatives.
CANEX invites publishers in Africa to submit published trade books for the inaugural CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa. To submit your entry, click here.
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