CANEX
BOOK
FACTORY
Africa's literary engine.
A dedicated platform for African publishing, writing, and literary culture — built to strengthen the continent's creative economy from the ground up. Where stories are written, published, traded, and read.
Built to invest in
African literary talent
at every level.
From first-time writers to established publishers, CANEX Book Factory runs programmes that recognise excellence, build capacity, and create the conditions for African intellectual property to thrive — on the continent and across the world.
CANEX Prize for Publishing in Africa
Recognising and rewarding excellence among African-owned publishers. A continental prize that invests directly in the institutions producing, owning, and monetising African intellectual property.
Explore & ApplyCANEX Creative Writers Workshop
An intensive, curated programme for emerging African and Caribbean writers. Craft development, industry knowledge, and professional networks — built to launch literary careers.
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From the page
to the world.
In collaboration with the Caine Prize for African Writing, CANEX Book Factory hosts a curated series of sessions that take African short fiction further — into publishing, theatre, film, and beyond. A partnership rooted in craft, and pointed toward industry.
Pitch Your Manuscript
A live pitching session where writers present their manuscripts directly to a panel of industry experts — publishers, agents, and producers — for on-the-spot feedback and professional positioning.
From Page to Screen
Writers and producers in conversation about what makes literary work attractive to film and television — and how to navigate the road from manuscript to adaptation.
The African Short Story Today
A panel exploring the state of the African short story — its markets, its publishers, and its place in a global literary ecosystem increasingly hungry for diverse voices.
Panels &
Masterclasses
Industry conversations and hands-on craft sessions across all four days of CANEX WKND. Open to delegates and the wider literary community.
The Business of African Publishing
Rights, distribution, and building a publishing house that lasts. Practical insight from publishers operating at the frontier of African literary trade.
IP & the African Creative Economy
How do African writers and publishers protect, monetise, and trade their intellectual property on the continent and internationally?
Literature & the African Diaspora
How writers in the diaspora navigate identity, audience, and belonging — and what it means to publish for both home and away.
Editing for Excellence
A deep dive into the editorial craft — from developmental editing to copy-editing — with leading editors across African fiction and non-fiction.
CANEXBook Fair
A marketplace for African publishers, booksellers, and literary organisations — open to the public and trade buyers. Four days of books, rights conversations, author signings, and direct commerce between African publishers and the world.
Register to ExhibitFebruary 2026 Pick
Homegoing
Two half-sisters, one sold into slavery, one married to a slave trader. Their descendants' stories span three continents and three hundred years — a sweeping, shattering debut that traces the fractures of family across the African diaspora.
