New prize for French-language children’s publishing in Africa

Maua Books, an imprint of eKitabu, has launched Prix de l’édition jeunesse africaine, a new literary prize dedicated to celebrating excellence in French-language children’s publishing in Africa, while building vital bridges between Francophone and Anglophone communities.

The inaugural award ceremony was held on September 24, 2025 at the Nairobi International Book Fair, gathering students, teachers, authors, publishers, and cultural institutions. The award-winning publishers are: Akoma Mba (Cameroon); Karné (Madagascar) and VIZAVI (Mauritius).

Besides, eKitabu has entered into a co-publishing agreement with the publishers. The 11 Francophone titles are now available in Kenya and Rwanda, where they will be presented exclusively at the Umurage Festival, which starts on Wednesday at the Kigali Memorial.