The Pan African Writers Association (PAWA), through its Young African Writers Committee (YAWC), is pleased to announce the first group of poets selected for publication in the Young African Writers’ Poetry Competition 2026 Anthology Series.
According to a release jointly signed by the YAWC Chairman, Goima Peter Mwamwingila and the Secretary, Justine Perfect Alorwu, the YAWC competition attracted an impressive 293 submissions from poets representing 20 African countries, reflecting the diversity, creativity, and strength of emerging literary voices across the continent.
Following the completion of the first phase of the review process, 30 poems have been selected for publication in Anthology 1.
The review of the remaining submissions is ongoing, and poets selected for Anthology 2 will be announced in October 2026.
The poets selected for publication in Anthology 1 are:
1.Analgesic Situations by Lucas Gomes (Angola)
2.Hosana but Damn by Phodiso Modirwa (Botswana)
3.Our Mystery by Wofar Nadine (Nkeina) (Cameroon)
4.A Silent African Psalm by Goska Matala (DRC)
5.Bamboo Poet by Ibrahim Yassin (Egypt)
6.Verdades by Oscar A. Nchaso Bekari (Equatorial Guinea)
7.You’ll Say I’m Cuckoo by Nisah Ngomane (Eswatini)
8.The Legal Cartels by Demba J. Sabally (The Gambia)
9.The Devil’s Hurt by Abubakarr Gillen (The Gambia)
10.The Mask by Yunusah Sajida (Ghana)
11.Black Hearts by Esther Wiredu (Ghana)
12.Pruning by Isaac Kilibwa (Kenya)
13.Your Coffee Smells Like Blood by Victoria Kerubo (Kenya)
14.Lazy Man by Paul Phillip Shagant (Malawi)
15.Just So We Survive by Gracious Mulinga (Malawi)
16.Africa, Desired Yet Unloved by Dionisio Conjo (Mozambique)
17.Who Will Punish the Law by Chukwuemeka Chiamaka (Nigeria)
18.Colours by Joel Ikechukwu (Nigeria)
19.Cow by Bafana “Solorider” Nkuna (South Africa)
20.Trust Me, I’m Not Cruel by Gladness Johnson (South Africa)
21.Suturing the Sun’s Sores by Marial Awendit (South Sudan)
22.Bird of Prey by Samson W. Kibale (Tanzania)
23.Your Candle Melts by Grace Simit (Tanzania)
24.The Fall by Daniel Akinboye Majoyeogbe (Togo)
25.Ancestral Stars by Omadang Yowasi (Uganda)
26.Sunshine Yellow Burning Red by Kihembo Shammah Ruth (Uganda)
27.The Grinding Stone by Otis Joshua Mwape (Zambia)
28.False Survival by Florence Nyangulu (Zambia)
29.Where You Spin by Vimbai Chiza (Zimbabwe)
30.Puppet by Mimi Machakaire (Zimbabwe)
PAWA congratulates all poets whose work has been selected for Anthology 1. Their poems demonstrate originality, artistic excellence, and thoughtful engagement with themes that resonate across Africa and beyond.
We also wish to thank every poet who participated in the competition. The quality and diversity of submissions have been truly inspiring and affirm the importance of investing in platforms that discover, nurture, and amplify young African literary voices.
The publication of Anthology 1 marks the beginning of a broader journey to celebrate emerging writers and strengthen literary communities across the continent.
We look forward to announcing the poets selected for Anthology 2 following the conclusion of the review process.
For updates on the anthology series, future publication opportunities, and YAWC activities, please follow PAWA’s official communication channels.
