The Island Prize is very proud to be announcing our longlist for 2023:

Bobo Hamham by Aganaba, Jesudubami Jemima (Nigeria)
The Becoming-Nothing of Bodies by Olubunmi Familoni(Nigeria)
A Mouth Full of Salt by Reem Gaafar (Sudan)
No Poison, No Paradise by Nzeru Aquilar Nsaí (South Africa)
Braids and Migraines by Andile MaShundu Cele (South Africa)
Choosing an Outfit for the End of the World by Robyn Perros (South Africa)
Carrying a Country on Your Forehead by Tanaka Chidora (Zimbabwe)
Night’s Last Secrets by Felix Otis (Kenya)
Captured by Immaculate Halla (Tanzania)

The quality of this year’s submissions were incredibly strong, flooding in from across the entire continent. We received many submissions from Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and South Africa, with further contributions from Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Mauritius, Zambia, Ethiopia, Somalia, and Ghana.

The longlisted entries will now be read in full and considered for shortlisting by our judges

Karen Jennings (author and founder of The Island Prize),

Rachel Edwards (author), and

Hamza Koudri
(runner up for The Island Prize 2022).