We look at some of the awards won by writers of African descent from the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Booker Prize, the Camões Award to the Prix Goncourt in 2021.
What a year 2021 was for writers of African descent as they scooped many of the most prestigious awards in English, French, and Portuguese as well as winning their own local awards.
This post is a recap of all the award winners for 2021. The list is based on location with awards in each of the different regions starting with Africa and the Middle East which is divided into continental and national. Continental prizes are those which writers of more than one African nationality are eligible for while national are those only one nation can enter. This is followed by all the awards from The Americas, Europe, and the one solitary entry from Australia. Please note that those with links lead to our coverage of the award while those without are those we missed. Let us begin.
Africa and the Middle East
Continental
- Le Prix Les Afriques 2021: Fiston Mwanza Mujila
- Morland Writing Scholarships for African Writers 2021: Ope Adejedi, Asiya Gaildon, Tinashe Mushakavanhu, and Refilwe Mafokeng.
- K & L Prize for African Literature 2021: Mustapha Enesi
- Toyin Falola Prize 2021: Tshepiso Mabula
- Prix Ivoire 2021: Blaise Ndala
- ArabLit Story Prize 2021: Mustafa Taj Alden Almosa, Maisaa Tanjour, and Alice Holttum
- African Writers Awards 2021: Adedoyin Adetutu, Gordon, B. Away, Clara Wanjira Kariuki
- Quramo Writers’ Prize 2021: Akinnimi Akintomiwa Oluwaseun
- Kendeka Prize for African Literature 2021: Jenny Robson, Fatima Okhousami, and Okpanachi Irene Ojochegbe
- James Currey Prize for African Literature: Ani Kayode Somtochukwu
- Sillerman First Book Prize 2021: Sherry Shenoda
- AKO Caine Prize for African Writing 2021: Meron Hadero
- Huza Press/Goethe Institut Kigali Writing Residency: Maryam Kazeem
- Short Story Day Africa Prize 2021: Idza Luhumyo
- Glenna Luschei Prize for African Poetry: Maneo Refiloe Mohale
- Brunel International African Poetry Prize 2021: Othuke Umukoro
- Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2021: Iman Mersal. Mizouni Bannani. and others.
- Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature 2021: Ahmed Taibaoui
- Afritondo Short Story Prize 2021: Desta Haile
- La Rentrée Littéraire du Mali 2021: Khalil Diallo, Ibrahim Lanséni Coulibaly, and Amadou Chab Touré
National
- Grand Prix Littéraire du Bénin 2021: Raouf Mama
- Ghana Association of Writers Literary Awards 2021: Gheysika Adombire Agambila, Genevieve Delali, Reinfred Dziedzorm Addo, Ruby Yayra Goka, Daniel Owusu Koranteng, Nana Fredua-Agyeman Jnr, Ernest Perbi-Asare
- Eyelands Book Awards 2021: Beatrice Akello Hofmann
- Nommo Awards 2021: Akwaeke Emezi, Nana Akosua Hanson, Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald, Innocent Chizaram Ilo, Tlotlo Tsamaase
- Carthage Theatre Festival 2021 Lifetime Achievement Award: John Sibi-Okumu
- Frontier Poetry Award 2021: Chibụìhè Obi Achịmbá
- Janzi Awards 2021: Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Beatrice Lamwaka
- African Christian Authors Book Awards: Nelly Kagoru, Daisy Kosgey Mugiira
- Qazini Writers Competition 2021: Kirop Kiptoo
- Palestine Book Awards 2021: Erik Skare, Timothy Brennan, Sonia Nimir and Marcia Lynx Qualey, Marc Lamont Hill and Mitchell Plitnick.
- Bank Windhoek Doek Literary Awards: Ndawedwa Denga Hanghuwo, Natasha Uys, Pauline Buhle Ndhlovu,
- Chinua Achebe Prize for Literature 2021: Obinna Udenwe
- South African Literary Awards 2021: Fred Khumalo, Reŝoketŝwe Manenzhe, Karen Jennings, and others.
- Prix Zamenga 2021: Yannick Ethan Kaumbo
- Prix Jean Fanchette 2021: Priya Hein’s Riambel.
- University of Johannesburg Prizes for South African Writing in English 2021: Jacob Dlamini, Jamil F Khan and Rešoketšwe Manenzhe
- University of Johannesburg Prize for Creative Writing 2021: EDM Sibiya, Mbusiseni Bhenya, Kobate John Sekele
- NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2021: Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia
- Awele Creative Trust Award 2020: Joshua Chizoma
- Humanities and Social Sciences Awards 2021: Reŝoketŝwe Manenzhe, Niq Mhlongo, Musawenkosi Khanyile, and others.
The Americas
- Bocas Lit Fest Children’s Book Prize 2021: Kereen Getten
- US National Book Awards: Tiya Miles, Jason Mott
- World Fantasy Awards 2021: Alaya Dawn Johnson, Tochi Onyebuchi, and Celeste Rita Baker
- Scotiabank Giller Prize 2021: Omar El Akkad
- Kirkus Awards 2021: Brian Broome
- Aidoo-Snyder Prize 2021: Oluwakemi Balogun, Jacqueline-Bethel Tchouta Mougoué
- Hurston/Wright Foundation Legacy Awards 2021: Rita Woods, Percival Everett, Marcia Chatelain, Rachel Eliza Griffiths
- Brooklyn Caribbean Literary Festival’s Elizabeth Nunez Awards 2021: Patrice Grell Yursik, Akhim Alexis
- Ignyte Awards 2021: Rebecca Roanhorse, Tracy Deonn, Claribel A. Ortega, Tochi Onyebuchi.
- American Book Awards 2021: Maisy Card, Johanna Fernández, Randall Horton, and others.
- Derek Walcott Prize for Poetry and the Joseph-S.-Stauffer Prize in literature: Canisia Lubrin
- VCU Cabell First Novelist Award: Raven Leilani
- Locus Awards 2021: N.K. Jemisin, P. Djèlí Clark
- Griffin Poetry Prize 2021: Canisia Lubrin
- Pulitzer Prize 2021: Marcia Chatelain, Les Payne and Tamara Payne
- Nebula Awards 2020: P. Djèlí Clark
- Lambda Literary Awards 2021: Samantha Irby, J Mase III & Dane Figueroa Edidi, and others.
- OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature 2021: Canisia Lubrin
- Edgar Awards 2021: Maaza Mengiste, Alyssa Cole
- PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction 2021: Deesha Philyaw
- US NAACP Image Awards 2021: Walter Mosley, Les Payne, Tamara Payne, Honorée Jeffers, and others
- US National Book Critics Circle Award 2020: Nicole R. Fleetwood, francine j. harris, and Raven Leilani.
- Windham-Campbell Prize 2021: Nathan Alan Davis, Michael R. Jackson, Dionne Brand, Renee Gladman, and Canisia Lubrin
Europe
- Prix Fintro Prijs 2021: Jean D’Amerique.
- Prix littéraire Fetkann Maryse Condé: Emmelie Prophete, Lussunzi Vita Mbala, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, Jean D’Amerique, Elizabeth Colomba and Aurélie Levy
- Prix Apollinaire Découverte poésie 2021: Jean D’Amérique
- Prix Dubreuil du Premier Roman 2021: Jean D’Amérique
- Booker Prize 2021: Damon Galgut
- Prix Goncourt 2021: Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
- Forward Prizes for Poetry 2021: Caleb Femi, Nicole Sealey.
- German Book Trade Peace Prize 2021: Tsitsi Dangarembga
- Neustadt International Prize for Literature 2022: Boris Boubacar Diop
- Diverse Book Awards 2021: Benjamin Zephaniah, Tammye Huf
- Prix Kourouma 2021: Blaise Ndala
- Camões 2021: Paulina Chiziane
- PEN International Writer of Courage 2021 award: Kakwenza Rukirabashaija
- Nobel Prize in Literature 2021: Abdulrazak Gurnah
- British Fantasy Awards 2021: P. Djèlí Clark, Ekpeki Oghenechovwe Donald, and Zelda Knight
- Prix Voix d’Afriques 2021: Fann Attiki
- Golden Afro Artistic Awards 2021 for literature: Sulaiman Addonia
- Choix Goncourt of Greece 2021: Djaïli Amadou Amal
- Ivan Juritz Prize 2021: Nick Makoha.
- Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels (the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade): Tsitsi Dangarembga
- Wolfson History Prize 2021: Sudhir Hazareesingh
- Premio Gregor von Rezzori 2021: Maaza Mengiste
- PEN Pinter Prize 2021: Tsitsi Dangarembga
- International Booker Prize 2021: David Diop
- London Book Fair International Excellence Awards 2021: Ghana Library Authority, Editora Trinta Zero Nove
- Jhalak Prize 2021: Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi, Patrice Lawrence.
- European Essay Prize: Johny Pitts
- Prix Mondial Cino Del Duca 2021: Maryse Condé
- European Union Prize for Literature 2021: Amine Al Ghozzi
- London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award: Margaret Busby
- British Book Awards (Nibbies) 2021: David Olusoga
- Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize 2021: Raven Leilani
- British Science Fiction Awards 2020: N.K. Jemisin
- Prix Simone de Beauvoir pour la liberté des femmes 2021: Scholastique Mukasonga
- Prix des Cinq Continents de la Francophonie 2020: Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse
- PEN International Award for Freedom of Expression 2021: Tsitsi Dangarembga
- Hennesy Book Award: Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
- Transfuge Award for Best French Novel: Mohamed Mbougar Sarr
Australia
- Western Australia Premier Book Awards: Sisonke Msimang
