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

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