Creative Africa Nexus (CANEX), an intervention by African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) invites African publishers of trade books to apply for the second edition of the CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa.
The initiative, developed in partnership with Narrative Landscape Press Limited, underscores the commitment of Afreximbank through the CANEX Book Factory to showcasing of the literary and publishing value chain in Africa, and developing literary talent across the continent and its diaspora. The inaugural edition saw Cassava Republic Press, win the Prize in 2024 for the “Female Fear Factory: Unveiling Patriarchy’s Culture of Violence,” by Pumla Dineo Gqola.
The CANEX Book Factory is an annual program of events under Afreximbank’s Creative Africa Nexus initiative. This year’s programme will culminate in an awards ceremony at the fourth edition of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), Africa’s premier trade and investment event, taking place in Algiers, Algeria from 4 – 10 September 2025.
During the week-long fair, more than 2,000 exhibitors, including businesses from the African continent and globally, will be showcasing their goods and services to the visitors and buyers while exploring opportunities and exchanging information.
Benefits
The CANEX Book Factory Prize for Publishing in Africa is designed to celebrate and recognize the outstanding contributions of African publishers and authors to the literary world. The total prize fund is $28,000, with $20,000 awarded to the winner and $2,000 distributed to each of the four finalists.
Eligibility
The prize is open to trade books published by Africa-domiciled publishers in the year preceding the prize, in one or more of the official languages of the African Union: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Swahili, and any other African language.
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. Interested publishers should visit https://canex.africa/canex-book-factory to register, with entries open from 17 March – 30 April 2025.
Deadline: 30 April 2025
Click HERE to Apply
