In three weeks, Abidjan will know the winner of the 2026 Prix Ivoire for African literature in French. The verdict is due on 30 October, and the award will be presented at a ceremony in Abidjan in late November.
Created in 2008 by the Ivorian association Akwaba Culture, the prize is now in its eighteenth edition. It comes with 3,000 euros, and the final jury is chaired by the writer and playwright Werewere-Liking.
The five finalists come from five countries: Djaïli Amadou Amal (Cameroon) with Espoir, Jocelyn Danga (DR Congo) with Né sur des pissenlits, Nétonon Noël Ndjékéry (Chad) with La Fabrique du merveilleux, Célia Sanchez (Senegal) with Yaay !, and Ephrem Youkpo (Côte d'Ivoire) with Ceux qui parlent fort.
They were selected in August from 46 books from 13 countries by a pre-jury chaired by the literary critic Michel Koffi.
The prize is supported by Côte d'Ivoire's Ministry of Culture and Francophonie, the French Embassy in Abidjan and Librairie de France Groupe. Last year it went to Véronique Tadjo for Je remercie la nuit.
