List of African novelists

This is a list of novelists from Africa, including those associated with as well as born in specified countries.

A

• Chris Abani (born 1966), Nigeria
• P. A. K. Aboagye (1925–2001), Ghana
• Peter Abrahams (1919–2017), South Africa
• Nana Achampong (born 1964), Ghana
• Chinua Achebe (1930–2013), Nigeria
• Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (born 1988), Nigeria
• Bayo Adebowale (born 1944), Nigeria
• Sade Adeniran (born 1960s), Nigeria
• Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (born 1977), Nigeria
• Maxamed Daahir Afrax (living), Somalia
• Jeannette D. Ahonsou (born 1954), Togo
• Ama Ata Aidoo (1940–2023), Ghana
• Zaynab Alkali (born 1950), Nigeria
• T. M. Aluko (1918–2010), Nigeria
• Elechi Amadi (1934–2016), Nigeria
• David Ananou (1917–2000), Togo
• Kwame Anthony Appiah (born 1954), Ghana
• Lesley Nneka Arimah (born 1983), Nigeria
• Ayi Kwei Armah (born 1939), Ghana
• Khadambi Asalache (1935–2006), Kenya
• Bediako Asare (born 1930), Ghana
• Mary Ashun (born 1968), Ghana
• Ryad Assani-Razaki (born 1981)
• Sefi Atta (born 1964), Nigeria
• Ayesha Harruna Attah (born 1983), Ghana
• Adaeze Atuegwu (born 1977), Nigeria
• Kofi Awoonor (1935–2013), Ghana

B

• Mariama Bâ (1929–1981), Senegal
• Rotimi Babatunde (living), Nigeria
• Yaba Badoe (born 1954), Ghana
• Elizabeth-Irene Baitie (born 1970)
• Ellen Banda-Aaku (born 1965)
• Biyi Bandele (1967–2022), Nigeria
• A. Igoni Barrett (born 1979), Nigeria
• Empi Baryeh (living), Ghana
• Jackee Budesta Batanda (living), Uganda
• Francis Bebey (1929–2001), Cameroon
• Philip Begho (born 1956), Nigeria
• Sokhna Benga (born 1967), Senegal
• Mongo Beti (1932–2001), Cameroon
• Calixthe Beyala (born 1961), Cameroon
• Olympe Bhêly-Quénum (born 1928), Benin
• John Benibengor Blay (born 1915), Ghana
• Amba Bongo (born 1962), Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Nazi Boni (1909–1969), Burkina Faso
• Tanella Boni (born 1954), Côte d'Ivoire
• André Brink (1935–2015), South Africa
• Ken Bugul (born 1947), Senegal
• NoViolet Bulawayo (born 1981), Zimbabwe
• Akosua Busia (born 1966), Ghana

C

• J. E. Casely-Hayford (1866–1930), Ghana
• Faarax M. J. Cawl (1937–1991), Somalia
• Syl Cheney-Coker (born 1945), Sierra Leone
• Panashe Chigumadzi (born 1991), Zimbabwe
• Shadreck Chikoti (born 1979), Malawi
• Brian Chikwava (born 1972), Zimbabwe
• Shimmer Chinodya (born 1957), Zimbabwe
• Paulina Chiziane (born 1955), Mozambique
• J. M. Coetzee (born 1940), South Africa
• Teju Cole (born 1975), Nigeria
• Félix Couchoro (1900–1968), Togo
• Mia Couto (born 1955), Mozambique

D

• Bernard Binlin Dadié (1916–2019), Côte d'Ivoire
• Tsitsi Dangarembga (born 1959), Zimbabwe
• Amma Darko (born 1956), Ghana
• Lawrence Darmani (living), Ghana
• Nadia Davids (born 1977), South Africa
• Aïda Mady Diallo (living), Mali
• Ebou Dibba (1943–2000), The Gambia
• Jude Dibia (born 1975), Nigeria
• Boubacar Boris Diop (born 1946), Senegal
• Mbella Sonne Dipoko (1936–2009)
• Waris Dirie (born 1965)
• Amu Djoleto (born 1929), Ghana
• Richard Dogbeh (1932–2003), Benin/Senegal/Ivory Coast
• Emmanuel Dongala (born 1941), Republic of the Congo
• Cameron Duodu (born 1937), Ghana

E

• Kossi Efoui (born 1962), Togo
• Obi Egbuna (1938–2014), Nigeria
• Christiane Akoua Ekue (born 1954), Togo
• Cyprian Ekwensi (1921–2007), Nigeria
• Mohammad Elsannour (living), Egypt
• Buchi Emecheta (1944–2017), Nigeria
• Rosemary Esehagu (born 1981), Nigeria

F

• Daniel O. Fagunwa (1903–1963), Nigeria
• Nuruddin Farah (born 1945), Somalia
• Adélaïde Fassinou (born 1955), Benin
• Aminatta Forna (born 1964), Sierra Leone
• Bilkisu Funtuwa (living), Nigeria

G

• Clifton Gachagua (born 1987), Kenya
• Petina Gappah (born 1971), Zimbabwe
• Hawa Jande Golakai (born 1979), Liberia
• Nadine Gordimer (1923–2014), South Africa
• Abdulrazak Gurnah (born 1948), Tanzania
• Yaa Gyasi (born 1989), Ghana

H

• Helon Habila (born 1967), Nigeria
• Bessie Head (1937–1986), South Africa/Botswana
• Chenjerai Hove (1956–2015), Zimbabwe

I

• Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (born 1979), Nigeria
• Emmanuel Iduma (born 1989), Nigeria
• Monique Ilboudo (born 1959) is an author and human rights activist from, Burkina Faso
• Jowhor Ile (born 1980), Nigeria
• Eddie Iroh, Nigeria
• Moses Isegawa (born 1963), Uganda
• Festus Iyayi (born 1947), Nigeria

J

• Dan Jacobson (1929–2014), South Africa
• Sousa Jamba (born 1966), Angola
• Delia Jarrett-Macauley (living), Sierra Leone
• Elnathan John (born 1982), Nigeria

K

• Legson Kayira (died 2012), Malawi
• Fatou Keïta (born 1965), Côte d'Ivoire
• China Keitetsi (born 1976), Uganda
• Euphrase Kezilahabi (1944–2020), Tanzania
• Fred Khumalo (born 1966), South Africa

• Karen King-Aribisala (living), Nigeria
• Asare Konadu (1932–1994), Ghana
• Marie-Christine Koundja (born 1957)
• Ahmadou Kourouma (1927–2003), Côte d'Ivoire
• Benjamin Kwakye (born 1967), Ghana
• Goretti Kyomuhendo (born 1965), Uganda

L

• Alex La Guma (1925–1985), South Africa
• Kojo Laing (born 1946), Ghana
• Mandla Langa (born 1950), South Africa
• Camara Laye (1928–1980), Guinea
• Doris Lessing (1919–2013), South Africa
• Ophelia S. Lewis (born 1961), Liberia
• Werewere Liking (born 1950), Cameroon/Côte d'Ivoire
• Lesley Lokko (living), Ghana

M

• Ignatius Mabasa (born 1971), Zimbabwe
• Lina Magaia (1940–2011), Mozambique
• Arthur Maimane (1932–2005), South Africa
• Barbara Makhalisa (born 1949), Zimbabwe
• Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi (born 1960s), Uganda
• Charles Mangua (1939–2021), Kenya
• Sarah Ladipo Manyika (living), Nigeria/UK
• Nozipa Maraire (born 1964), Zimbabwe
• Dambudzo Marechera (1952–1987), Zimbabwe
• Zakes Mda (born 1948), South Africa
• Dinaw Mengestu (born 1978), Ethiopia/US
• Maaza Mengiste (born 1971), Ethiopia/US
• Felix Mnthali (born 1933), Malawi
• Thomas Mofolo (1876–1948), Lesotho
• Nadifa Mohamed (born 1981), Somalia
• Nthikeng Mohlele (living), South Africa
• Tierno Monénembo (born 1947), Guinea
• Bai T. Moore (1916–1988), Liberia
• A. S. Mopeli-Paulus (born 1913), Lesotho
• Fiston Mwanza Mujila (born 1981), Congo
• Charles Mungoshi (1947–2019)), Zimbabwe
• David Mungoshi (1949–2020), Zimbabwe
• Solomon Mutswairo (1924–2005), Zimbabwe
• Meja Mwangi (born 1948), Kenya

N

• Glaydah Namukasa, Uganda
• Njabulo Ndebele (born 1948), South Africa
• Okey Ndibe (born 1960), Nigeria
• Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo (born 1950), Equatorial Guinea
• Patrice Nganang (born 1970), Cameroon
• Lauretta Ngcobo (1931–2015), South Africa
• Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (born 1938), Kenya
• Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ (born 1971), Kenya
• Wanjiku wa Ngũgĩ (born 1970s), Kenya
• Rebeka Njau (born 1932), Kenya
• Lewis Nkosi (1936–2010), South Africa
• Jérôme Nouhouaï (living), Benin
• María Nsué Angüe (1945–2017), Equatorial Guinea
• Martina Nwakoby (born 1937), Nigeria
• Nkem Nwankwo (1936–2001), Nigeria
• Flora Nwapa (1931–1993), Nigeria
• Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani (born 1976), Nigeria
• Stanley Nyamfukudza (born 1951), Zimbabwe

O

• Chigozie Obioma (born 1986), Nigeria
• Trifonia Melibea Obono (born 1982), Equatorial Guinea
• Asenath Bole Odaga (1937–2014), Kenya
• Taiwo Odubiyi (born 1965), Nigeria
• Nana Oforiatta Ayim (living), Ghana
• Margaret Ogola (1958–2011), Kenya
• Grace Ogot (1930–2015), Kenya
• Gabriel Okara (1921–2019), Nigeria
• Irenosen Okojie (living), Nigeria
• Nnedi Okorafor (born 1974), Nigeria/US
• Ifeoma Okoye (born 1937?), Nigeria
• Chinelo Okparanta (born 1981)
• Isidore Okpewho (1941–2016), Nigeria
• Ben Okri (born 1959), Nigeria
• Ukamaka Olisakwe (born 1982), Nigeria
• Kole Omotoso (1943–2023), Nigeria
• Yewande Omotoso (born 1980), South African/Nigeria
• Ondjaki (born 1977), Angola
• Chibundu Onuzo (born 1991), Nigeria
• Yambo Ouologuem (1940–2017), Mali
• Helen Ovbiagele (born 1944), Nigeria
• Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor (born 1968), Kenya
• Ferdinand Oyono (1929–2010), Cameroon
• Kachi A. Ozumba (living), Nigeria
• Ayodele Olofintuade (Living), Nigeria

P

• Nii Ayikwei Parkes (born 1974), Ghana
• Alan Paton (1903–1988), South Africa
• Pepetela (born 1941), Angola
• Lenrie Peters (1932–2009), Gambia
• Olúmìdé Pópóọlá (living), Nigeria/Germany
• Tolulope Popoola (living), Nigeria

Q

• Kwei Quartey (living), Ghana/US

R

• Angèle Ntyugwetondo Rawiri (1954–2010), Gabon
• Richard Rive (1931–1989), South Africa
• Henrietta Rose-Innes (born 1971), South Africa
• David Rubadiri (1930–2018), Malawi
• Bonwell Kadyankena Rodgers (born 1991), Malawi

S

• Stanlake Samkange (1922–1988), Zimbabwe
• Williams Sassine (1944–1997), Guinea
• Kobina Sekyi (1892–1956), Ghana
• Taiye Selasi (born 1979), Ghana/Nigeria
• Francis Selormey (1927–1983), Ghana
• Namwali Serpell (born 1980), Zambia
• Abdi Sheik Abdi (born 1942), Somalia
• Vamba Sherif (born 1973), Liberia
• Lola Shoneyin (born 1974), Nigeria
• Gillian Slovo (born 1952), South Africa
• Aminata Sow Fall (born 1941), Senegal
• Wole Soyinka (born 1934), Nigeria

T

• Véronique Tadjo (born 1955), Côte d'Ivoire
• Sony Lab'ou Tansi (1947–1995), Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Miriam Tlali (1933–2017), South Africa
• Amos Tutuola (1920–1997), Nigeria

U

• Gracy Ukala (born 1946), Nigeria
• Adaora Lily Ulasi (born 1932), Nigeria
• Rems Umeasiegbu (born 1943), Nigeria
• Chika Unigwe (born 1974), Nigeria

V

• Yvonne Vera (1964–2005), Zimbabwe
• Abraham Verghese (born 1955)
• José Luandino Vieira (born 1935), Angola

W

• Charity Waciuma (born 1936), Kenya
• Timothy Wangusa (born 1942), Uganda
• Zukiswa Wanner (born 1976), South Africa
• Mary Watson (born 1975), South Africa
• Myne Whitman (born 1977), Nigeria
• Zoe Wicomb (born 1948), South Africa

Y

• Adrienne Yabouza (born 1965), Central African Republic
• Balaraba Ramat Yakubu (born 1959), Nigeria

Z

• Paul Tiyambe Zeleza (born 1955), Malawi
• Norbert Zongo (1949–1998), Burkina Faso