This week, I’m happy to introduce Erinola E. Daranijo, Editor-in-Chief of Akéwì Magazine, who reached out after our list on African lit mags to offer up a much more comprehensive list along with insights into why there are so few. Today’s list is totally free, created by Erin, and available for download at the end of the essay.
Literary magazines have long served as vital platforms for both emerging and established writers, offering opportunities for publication and exposure. Ranging from small-scale indie zines to renowned publications like The New Yorker, these magazines play a crucial role in the literary landscape. However, African literary magazines face unique challenges, particularly in securing funding and gaining recognition on the global stage.
African literary magazines, despite their cultural richness and diversity, often struggle to compete with their American counterparts for funding and attention. One key reason is their extremely limited access to financial resources, exacerbated by systemic barriers and economic instability. Unlike in the Western world, where writers have numerous publication opportunities, African writers often face limited options, leading many magazines to focus exclusively on publishing African authors (or as with the case of Lolwe and my lit mag, BIPOC writers). While this promotes African voices, it also hinders their visibility and recognition internationally, resulting in a lack of financial support from the international community. No recognition = no money (mostly). No money = very hard to maintain long-term.
Among African lit mags, the big five (Agbowo, Lolwe, Isele, Doek! Short Story Day) are able to mitigate this lack of funding partly due to the success of their editors (who practically pay writers out of their pockets). The general trend is, the more successful the editor, the more attention the lit mag receives. And the more successful the editor, the more money they (probably) have to pay writers.
The funding landscape for African literary magazines is further complicated by the absence of government support and underdeveloped philanthropic networks, with nearly no African country having an operational arts council or endowment for the arts. Corruption and economic challenges in many African countries make it difficult for literary initiatives to receive adequate funding. As a result, most successful African lit mags rely on donations and personal investment from their editors, which are often insufficient to sustain long-term operations.
A common trend in African lit mags is also the lack of submission fees (practically none have). This is due to huge income inequalities in the African/Afro-diaspora when compared to Americans. This leaves the only source of funding to come from donations and hand-outs.
So you see, the African Literary Magazine is in a very tight spot and is in danger of fizzling out. However, the tide may be turning. The recent inclusion of five African literary magazines in the prestigious O. Henry Prizes (under the editorial stewardship of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie), validates the quality of African literature and highlights the importance of global acknowledgement in amplifying marginalized voices.
Note: The 5 African literary magazines which received invitations to submit to the O. Henry Prizes are highlighted in the spread sheet. Invitations were also sent out to the Gerald Kraak Anthology (which isn’t in the spread sheet due to it being an award and not a lit mag).
One significant obstacle is the reluctance of grant-givers in the US and UK to fund Africa-based publications, further limiting the resources available to these magazines. While some Africa-based magazines have managed to secure sources of funding, they are often the exception rather than the norm. The success of African magazines like Lolwe and Isele (among a few others), which are based outside Africa, underscores the challenges faced by Africa-based publications in accessing financial support.
The funding challenges confronting African literary magazines are significant but not insurmountable. To address these challenges, stakeholders must recognize the importance of supporting African literary magazines and work together to overcome the funding barriers. This includes increased investment from governments, institutions, philanthropic organizations, and private donors, as well as advocacy for policy changes to promote the visibility and sustainability of African literature.
So, read this as my call to action. This is me urging you to go out there and support your ‘nearest’ (funny, I know) African literary magazine—financially, if you can, but more so promotionally; read the writers they publish; tell your friends about them; and preach them everywhere you go!
P.S. If you are wondering where to start, please see the spread sheet of 48 African Literary Magazines. The list is by no means exhaustive. There are several other African lit mags which have been purposefully left off the list for various reasons—with the primary reason being the lack of an online presence.
→ Explore and download the details on 48 African lit mags here. ←
Erinola E. Daranijo (he/him) is a Nigerian poet. He is the Editor-in-Chief of Akéwì Magazine and the author of the chapbooks ‘An Epiphany of Roses’ (Konya Shamsrumi Press, 2024) and ‘Every Path Leads to the Sea’ (Ghost City Press, 2024). He splits his time between the cities of Ibadan, Lagos, and Cape Town. Say hi on X (formerly Twitter) at @Layworks.
This is a good piece to even broach the matter which is more like erased in the consciousness of the literary writing world. I'm an avid submitter with over 50 successes to my credit. Though based in Africa, by writing bio reads like a roll call of American lit mags and justifiably so. The same funding challenge which is responsible for their dearth also constrains my options in choosing an African journal to submit to because for all you know, the archives bearing the link to your piece could suddenly be pulled down from the internet because of indebtedness to servers located outside the continent. Even our national newspapers cannot sustain their digital archives. Western funders of African NGOs may well think of devoting a portion of their funds for literary journals on the continent. My two kobo.
Hardly noticed in the African Literary article is the systemic corruption of countries in Africa. Sure there are no cultural organizations because people who work for African organizations steal from it. Corruption in these countries is a divine right and nobody says anything. Stealing is expected from any head of most, if not all, government organizations.