Out Of Africa: Miles Morland Foundation Announces Shortlist For 2025 African Writing Scholarships

The Miles Morland Foundation has unveiled the shortlist for the 2025 edition of its Morland African Writing Scholarships. The selection, totalling twenty nominees, was drawn from a pool over 800 entries from published African writers, over 300 more than last year. The Miles Morland Foundation’s main aim is to support entities in Africa which enable […]

Out Of Africa: Miles Morland Foundation Announces Shortlist For 2025 African Writing Scholarships
Out Of Africa: Miles Morland Foundation Announces Shortlist For 2025 African Writing Scholarships

The Miles Morland Foundation has unveiled the shortlist for the 2025 edition of its Morland African Writing Scholarships.

The selection, totalling twenty nominees, was drawn from a pool over 800 entries from published African writers, over 300 more than last year.

The Miles Morland Foundation’s main aim is to support entities in Africa which enable Africans to get their voices heard. It is particularly interested in supporting African writing and African literature.

This year’s shortlisted writers include:

  • Aanu Adeoye (Nigeria)
  • Adeola Opeyemi (Nigeria)
  • Caitlin Stobie (South Africa)
  • Carlo Saio (Kenya)
  • Chinelo Onwualu (Nigeria)
  • Joseph Ruzvidzo (Zimbabwe)
  • Megan Ross (South Africa)
  • Monique Eleanor Kwachou Tangah (Cameroon)
  • Mphuthumi Ntabeni (South Africa)
  • Mvemba Dizolele (Congo Democratic Republic)
  • Nzube Nlebedim (Nigeria)
  • Pulane Mpondo (South Africa)
  • Rigwell Addison Asiedu (Ghana)
  • Sa’idu Sulaiman (Nigeria)
  • Shubnum Khan (South Africa)
  • Sven Axelrad (South Africa)
  • Timothy Ogene (Nigeria)
  • Togara Muzanenhamo (Zimbabwe)
  • Wesley Macheso (Malawi)
  • Yvonne Zabu (Uganda)

To help meet the need for writers to make a living while at the same time harnessing their creative potential,  the MMF annually awards a small number of Morland Writing Scholarships, with the aim being to allow each Scholar the time to produce the first draft of a completed book. The scholarships are open to anyone writing in the English language who was born in Africa, or both of whose parents were born in Africa.

Scholars will receive a grant of £18,000, paid monthly over the course of twelve months. At the discretion of the Foundation, scholars writing non-fiction, who require additional research time, could receive an additional grant, paid over a period of up to eighteen months.

The Miles Morland Foundation was established in 2013 with the aim of supporting entities in Africa which allow Africans to get their voices better heard. The Foundation has supported literary festivals in Africa, London’s Film Africa Festival, the Caine Prize for African Writing, several African educational initiatives and the new Rhodes Scholarships for Africans. It has also supported several human rights organisations, an array of London theatres, Oxford University women’s lightweight rowing, projects in Haiti and Palestine, a literacy initiative in London’s Shoreditch, plus several schemes which help recovering addicts and detained prisoners in the UK.

The winners of the 2025 Morland African Writing Scholarships will be announced on 22nd November, 2025.