CANEX PRIZE FOR PUBLISHING
Celebrating the Best in African-Caribbean Publishing
ABOUT THE PRIZE
Africa accounts for a small share of the global publishing market and continues to rely heavily on imported books and foreign publishing structures. Despite a growing pool of writers, African and Caribbean publishers face persistent challenges: limited capital, constrained distribution networks, and low visibility in global rights markets.
The CANEX Prize for Publishing addresses this gap directly — not by rewarding individual titles alone, but by recognising the publishers who produce, own, and monetise African-Caribbean intellectual property. Publishers who demonstrate excellence in editorial quality, design, innovation, and reach.
Delivered as part of CANEX Book Factory 2026, the Prize contributes to long-term intellectual property development, intra-African cultural trade, and the sustainability of Africa-Caribbean’’s creative economy.
PRIZE OBJECTIVES
-
Intra-African Trade — Promoting trade in cultural goods across Africa and the Caribbean.
- Institutional Strength — Supporting African and Caribbean-owned creative enterprises and publishing infrastructure.
-
IP Ownership — Strengthening Africa's intellectual property generation and ownership.
- Downstream Value — Feeding film, audiovisual, and other downstream creative industries.
ELIGIBILITY & CRITERIA
Open to trade books in English, French, Arabic, Swahili, Portuguese, Spanish, and any African language, initially published in a member country of the African Union, or a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) during the eligibility year. Submissions are subject to eligibility verification before adjudication. Unpublished manuscripts are not eligible.
The publication date must be within the eligibility window of the preceding calendar year, beginning from 1 January and ending on 31 December. For the inaugural year, books published in the preceding two years will be eligible.
Conditions for Entry
By submitting a title, publishers agree to the following:
- If selected as a Finalist, the publisher will share 10% of their prize money with the author(s) of the book
- If selected as a Finalist, the publisher must send a representative to the CANEX Book Factory events — travel costs covered by CANEX
- Each publisher must designate one contact person for all Prize-related communications
- The publisher is responsible for ensuring the author is aware of the book's entry
- The CANEX Book Factory reserves the right to amend the timeline, venue, or format of Prize events in response to unforeseen circumstances
Judging Criteria:
- Editorial Quality — The standard of editing, writing development, and overall intellectual rigour.
- Design & Production — The quality of book design, typography, cover, print or digital production.
- Innovation — Originality in form, content, publishing model, or approach — including new voices, formats, and practices.
- Distribution & Reach — Evidence of effective distribution strategies — continental, diaspora, or global.
- Cultural Impact — The book's contribution to African literary culture, public discourse, and the broader creative ecosystem.
THE JURY
The Prize is judged by an independent jury of publishing and creative industry experts drawn from across Africa and the Caribbean. Jury members are announced prior to the shortlist.
THE CEREMONY
Winners are announced and celebrated at the CANEX Book Factory ceremony, part of CANEX WKND 2026 — Lagos, Nigeria, 5–8 November 2026.
HOW TO APPLY
Step 01 — Check Eligibility
Confirm your publishing house is African or Caribbean -owned and operating within Africa or a member of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Verify your submission was first published in Africa or the Caribbean. Review all criteria carefully before proceeding.
Step 02 — Prepare Your Submission
Gather your submission materials: the book, publisher information, distribution evidence, and a statement of editorial process. Full requirements are detailed in the application form.
Step 03 — Submit Online
Complete the online application via the Evalato platform. Submissions open 14th May 2026 and close 30th June 2026. Late submissions will not be accepted.
Step 04 — Await Jury Review
All eligible submissions are reviewed by the independent jury. Applicants are notified at each stage of the process.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is my self-published book eligible?
Self-published books are not eligible if published via a publishing service, such as Kindle Direct Publishing. However, if a self-publisher:
1) publishes more than one author, and
2) does not publish through an online proprietary publishing service as previously described, the title would be eligible. The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa may request a catalogue of titles from a self-publisher to verify eligibility.
Can an author submit their own book for consideration?
No. It is a publishing prize. The entry form must be completed by a publisher for a book to be considered.
Is it possible to submit a book for consideration even though the entry form deadline has passed?
Unfortunately, no titles can be submitted for consideration after the entry form closes. Additionally, physical copies of submitted titles must be postmarked by the deadline to be guaranteed consideration (see Submission Process section). If a book is postmarked after these dates, the book is considered only at the judges’ discretion.
Can a Publisher submit more than one book for consideration?
Publishers can submit up to four books for the prize. Publishers must contact the Prize administrators directly to petition to submit a fifth book with answers to several questions outlined in the eligibility criteria above.
Are graphic novels, graphic memoirs, and/or comics eligible for the CANEX Prize for Publishing?
Yes, provided they meet the other eligibility requirements.
Who are the administrators of the CANEX Prize for Publishing? What is CANEX?
The Creatives Africa Nexus (CANEX) is an initiative of Afreximbank, the Africa Export Import Bank. The CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa is part of the CANEX Book Factory, which itself is a CANEX programme that is produced in partnership with book industry advocates on the continent of Africa.
When will the publisher be notified if a book entered for consideration is on the Longlist?
If a book is chosen for the Longlist, the contact person who submitted the book will be notified the week before the longlist is publicly announced. For details regarding Longlist, Finalist, and other CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa-related announcements, please sign up for our newsletter.
What if I have questions that aren’t answered here?
Please email questions about your submissions to the Awards Manager here: pubprize@narrativelandscape.com
Technical questions regarding the entry forms should be emailed to innovation@afreximbank.com