List of African poets

This is a list of African poets. Contemporary Africa has a range of important poets across many different genres and cultures. Poetry in Africa details more on the history and context of contemporary poetry on the continent.

A

 * Chris Abani, Nigeria
 * Maria do Carmo Abecassis, Mozambique
 * Mohammed Abed Elhai, Sudan
 * Lionel Abrahams, South Africa
 * P. A. K. Aboagye, Ghana
 * Mohammed Achaari, Morocco
 * Chinua Achebe, Nigeria
 * Catherine Obianuju Acholonu, Nigeria
 * Elhadi Adam, Sudan
 * Adamou Idé, Niger
 * Tatamkulu Afrika, South Africa
 * Ama Ata Aidoo, Ghana
 * Funso Aiyejina, Nigeria
 * Grace Akello, Uganda
 * Mohammed ibn Mohammed Alami, Morocco
 * Mohammed ibn Idris al-Amrawi, Morocco
 * Kaddour El Alamy, Morocco
 * Abu Salim al-Ayyashi, Morocco
 * Sebastião Alba, Mozambique
 * Mike Alfred, South Africa
 * AlKabli, Sudan
 * Akilu Aliyu, Nigeria
 * Al-Saddiq Al-Raddi, Sudan
 * Abdulkareem Baba Aminu, Nigeria
 * Jean Amrouche, Algeria
 * Ingrid Andersen, South Africa
 * Tyrone Appollis, South Africa
 * Eseohe Arhebamen (a.k.a. Edoheart), Nigeria
 * Khadambi Asalache, Kenya
 * Nana Asma’u, Nigeria
 * Hennie Aucamp, South Africa
 * Mohammed Awzal, Morocco
 * Ayo Ayoola-Amale, Nigeria
 * Ali Azaykou, Morocco
 * Étienne Azéma, Réunion
 * Jean-Henri Azéma, Réunion
 * Nnorom Azuonye, Nigeria

B

 * Ali Birra, Ethiopia
 * J. Benibengor Blay, Ghana
 * Kwesi Brew, Ghana
 * Angèle Bassolé-Ouédraogo, Côte d'Ivoire
 * Tanella Boni, Côte d'Ivoire
 * Ali Bu'ul, Somaliland
 * Mohammed Ben Brahim, Morocco
 * Siham Benchekroun, Morocco
 * Abdelmajid Benjelloun, Morocco
 * Hafsa Bikri, Morocco
 * Al-Buzidi al-Bujrafi, Morocco
 * Philip Begho, Nigeria
 * Alioune Badara Bèye, Senegal
 * Gabeba Baderoon, South Africa
 * Shabbir Banoobhai, South Africa
 * Sinclair Beiles, South Africa
 * Robert Berold, South Africa
 * Vonani Bila, South Africa
 * Peter Blum, South Africa
 * Roy Blumenthal, South Africa
 * Breyten Breytenbach, South Africa
 * Dennis Brutus, South Africa
 * Guy Butler, South Africa
 * Mildred Barya, Uganda

C

 * Robert Calvert, South Africa
 * Roy Campbell, South Africa
 * Jan F. E. Celliers, South Africa
 * Steve Chimombo, Mali
 * Chirikure Chirikure, Zimbabwe
 * Yvette Christiansë, South Africa
 * Charl Cilliers, South Africa
 * J. P. Clark Nigeria
 * Jack Cope, South Africa
 * José Craveirinha, Mozambique
 * Jeremy Cronin, South Africa
 * Patrick Cullinan, South Africa
 * Gary Cummiskey, South Africa
 * Sheila Cussons, South Africa
 * Chijioke Amu-Nnadi, Nigeria

D

 * Mohammed Dib, Algeria
 * Tahar Djaout, Algeria
 * Viriato da Cruz, Angola
 * Bernadette Sanou Dao, Burkina Faso
 * Mbella Sonne Dipoko, Cameroon
 * Kwame Dawes, Ghana
 * Bernard Binlin Dadié, Côte d'Ivoire
 * Fily Dabo Sissoko, Mali
 * Souéloum Diagho, Mali
 * David Diop, Senegal
 * Achmat Dangor, South Africa
 * Johann de Lange, South Africa
 * Dertigers, South Africa
 * Phillippa Yaa de Villiers, South Africa
 * Isobel Dixon, South Africa
 * Angifi Dladla, South Africa
 * Donovan Mitchell, South Africa
 * Finuala Dowling, South Africa

E

 * Michael Echeruo, Nigeria
 * Amatoritsero Ede, Nigeria
 * Elisabeth Eybers, South Africa
 * Bushra Elfadil, Sudan
 * Mohammed Moftahh Elfitory, Sudan
 * John Eppel, Zimbabwe

F

 * Achour Fenni, Algeria
 * Allal al-Fassi, Morocco
 * Abd al-Rahman al-Fazazi, Morocco
 * Fadhy Mtanga, Tanzania
 * Femi Fani-Kayode, Nigeria
 * Sheila Meiring Fugard, South Africa

G

 * Ahmed Gabyow, Somalia
 * Gaariye, Somaliland
 * Abdul Raheem Glailati, Sudan
 * Keith Gottschalk, South Africa
 * William Wellington Gqoba, South Africa
 * Stephen Gray, South Africa
 * Josué Guébo, Ivory Coast
 * Mafika Gwala, South Africa

H

 * Hadraawi, Somalia
 * Malek Haddad, Algeria
 * Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, Somalia
 * Gebre Hanna, Ethiopia
 * Mohammed al-Haik, Morocco
 * Allal El Hajjam, Morocco
 * Hamdun ibn al-Hajj al-Fasi, Morocco
 * Mohammed al-Harraq al-Alami, Morocco
 * David Hassine, Morocco
 * Sulayman al-Hawwat, Morocco
 * Dorian Haarhoff, Namibia
 * Helon Habila, Nigeria
 * Obo Aba Hisanjani, Nigeria
 * Megan Hall, South Africa
 * Joan Hambidge, South Africa
 * Ernst van Heerden, South Africa
 * C. M. van den Heever, South Africa
 * Colleen Higgs, South Africa
 * Christopher Hope, South Africa
 * Peter Horn, South Africa
 * Allan Kolski Horwitz, South Africa
 * Chenjerai Hove, Zimbabwe

I

 * Ismail ibn al-Ahmar, Morocco
 * Idriss ibn al-Hassan al-Alami, Morocco
 * Ibn al-Khabbaza, Morocco
 * Malik ibn al-Murahhal, Morocco
 * Ahmad Ibn al-Qadi, Morocco
 * Mohammed ibn Qasim ibn Zakur, Morocco
 * Ibn Zaydan, Morocco
 * Chinweizu Ibekwe, Nigeria
 * Abdi Bashir Indhobuur, Somalia
 * I. D. du Plessis, South Africa
 * Ibrahim 'Ali Salman, Sudan
 * Salah Ahmed Ibrahim, Sudan
 * I. N. Tinuola (Penslord), Nigeria

J

 * António Jacinto, Angola
 * Abu al-Abbas al-Jarawi, Morocco
 * Joseph ben Judah of Ceuta, Morocco
 * Ahmed Joumari, Morocco
 * John Jea, Nigeria
 * Alan James, South Africa
 * José Craveirinha, Mozambique
 * Noémia de Sousa, Mozambique
 * Wopko Jensma, South Africa
 * Emmanuel Taiwo Jegede, Nigeria
 * Liesl Jobson, South Africa
 * Sarah Johnson, South Africa
 * Ingrid Jonker, South Africa

K

 * Kite Fiqi, Somaliland
 * Ajaib Kamal, Kenya
 * Jonathan Kariara, Kenya
 * Bai T. Moore, Liberia
 * Stanley Onjezani Kenani, Malawi
 * Mohammed Khammar Kanouni, Morocco
 * Mohammed Khaïr-Eddine, Morocco
 * Aryan Kaganof, South Africa
 * Anne Kellas, South Africa
 * Keorapetse Kgositsile, South Africa
 * Sheila Khala, Lesotho
 * Mbongeni Khumalo, South Africa
 * Olga Kirsch, South Africa
 * Uys Krige, South Africa
 * Antjie Krog, South Africa
 * Anton Robert Krueger, South Africa
 * Mazisi Kunene, South Africa
 * Abdellatif Laabi, Morocco
 * Wafaa Lamrani, Morocco
 * Ahmed Lemsih, Morocco
 * Mandla Langa, South Africa
 * Cornelis Jacobus Langenhoven, South Africa
 * Pule Lechesa, South Africa
 * C. Louis Leipoldt, South Africa
 * Douglas Livingstone, South Africa
 * Nicolaas Petrus van Wyk Louw, South Africa
 * W. E. G. Louw, South Africa
 * Taban Lo Liyong, Sudan

M

 * Christopher Mwashinga, Tanzania
 * Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Kenya
 * Jack Mapanje, Malawi
 * Felix Mnthali, Malawi
 * Ahmed al-Madini, Morocco
 * Abdelaziz al-Maghrawi, Morocco
 * Abderrahman El Majdoub, Morocco
 * Abdelaziz al-Malzuzi, Morocco
 * Zahra Mansouri, Morocco
 * Dambudzo Marechera, Zimbabwe
 * Al-Masfiwi, Morocco
 * Dada Masiti, Somalia
 * Thami Mdaghri, Morocco
 * Ahmed Mejjati, Morocco
 * Lucien Xavier Michel-Andrianarahinjaka
 * Mohammed Bennis, Morocco
 * Peya Mushelenga, Namibia
 * Mohammed al-Mokhtar Soussi, Morocco
 * Rozena Maart, South Africa
 * Kim McClenaghan, South Africa
 * Michelle McGrane, South Africa
 * Don Maclennan, South Africa
 * D. F. Malherbe, South Africa
 * Clinton Marius, South Africa
 * John Mateer, South Africa
 * John Matshikiza, South Africa
 * James Matthews, South Africa
 * Mzwakhe Mbuli, South Africa
 * Joan Metelerkamp, South Africa
 * Ruth Miller, South Africa
 * Amitabh Mitra, South Africa
 * Kobus Moolman, South Africa
 * Rose Moss, South Africa
 * Isabella Motadinyane, South Africa
 * Modikwe Dikobe, South Africa
 * Samuel Edward Krune Mqhayi, South Africa
 * Oswald Mbuyiseni Mtshali, South Africa
 * Muhammad Ahmad Mahgoub, Sudan
 * Malkat Ed-Dar Mohamed, Sudan
 * Tumi Molekane, Tanzania
 * Mukotani Rugyendo, Uganda
 * Micere Githae Mugo, Kenya
 * Hassan Sheikh Mumin Somalia
 * Mulumba Ivan Matthias, Uganda
 * Solomon Mutswairo, Zimbabwe
 * Togara Muzanenhamo, Zimbabwe

N

 * Mũkoma wa Ngũgĩ, Kenya
 * Mririda n’Ait Attik, Morocco
 * Mostafa Nissaboury, Morocco
 * Hans Daniel Namuhuja, Namibia
 * Okey Ndibe, Nigeria
 * Uche Nduka, Nigeria
 * Echezonachukwu Nduka, Nigeria
 * Arthur Nortje, South Africa
 * Pitika Ntuli, South Africa

O

 * Chike Obi, Nigeria
 * Okello Oculi, Uganda
 * Tanure Ojaide, Nigeria
 * Atukwei Okai, Ghana
 * Gabriel Okara, Nigeria
 * Diego Odoh Okenyodo, Nigeria
 * Christopher Okigbo, Nigeria
 * Olatubosun Oladapo, Nigeria
 * Onwuchekwa Jemie, Nigeria
 * D. J. Opperman, South Africa
 * Niyi Osundare, Nigeria

P

 * Okot p'Bitek, Uganda
 * Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Ghana
 * Shailja Patel, Kenya
 * Lenrie Peters, Gambia
 * William Plomer, South Africa
 * Louis-Marie Pouka, Cameroon
 * Karen Press, South Africa

Q

 * Alfred Themba Qabula, South Africa

R

 * David Rubadiri, Malawi
 * Lesego Rampolokeng, South Africa
 * Francis William Reitz, South Africa
 * Rustum Kozain, South Africa
 * Gely Abdel Rahman, Sudan
 * Ras Nas, Tanzania
 * Esther Razanadrasoa (1892–1931), Madagascar
 * Shaaban Bin Robert, Tanzania

S

 * Peter M. Sacks, South Africa
 * Abdelhadi Said, Morocco
 * Arja Salafranca, South Africa
 * Tijan M. Sallah, Gambia
 * Dina Salústio, Cabo Verde
 * Francisco Santos, Angola
 * Mabel Segun, Nigeria
 * Jean Sénac, Algeria
 * Léopold Sédar Senghor, Senegal
 * Sipho Sepamla, South Africa
 * Sjaka Septembir, South Africa
 * Mohamed Serghini, Morocco
 * Mongane Wally Serote, South Africa
 * Shaykh Sufi, Somalia
 * Warsan Shire, Somalia
 * Si Mohand, Algeria
 * Ari Sitas, South Africa
 * Adam Small, South Africa
 * Noémia de Sousa, Mozambique
 * Wole Soyinka, Nigeria
 * Lina Spies, South Africa
 * Bakari Sumano, Mali

T

 * Frédéric Pacéré Titinga, Burkina Faso
 * Aida Touré, Gabon
 * Véronique Tadjo, Côte d'Ivoire
 * Abdelkarim Tabbal, Morocco
 * Hemmou Talb, Morocco
 * Houcine Toulali, Morocco
 * Toyin Adewale-Gabriel, Nigeria
 * Abdillahi Suldaan Mohammed Timacade, Somalia
 * Mohamud Siad Togane, Somalia
 * Eugène Terre'Blanche, South Africa
 * Totius, South Africa

V

 * Mamman Jiya Vatsa, Nigeria
 * Benedict Wallet Vilakazi, South Africa
 * Wayne Visser, South Africa
 * Gert Vlok Nel, South Africa

W

 * Patricia Jabbeh Wesley, Liberia
 * Phillis Wheatley, Gambia
 * Phillis Wheatley, Senegal
 * Crystal Warren, South Africa
 * Stephen Watson, South Africa
 * Mary Morison Webster, South Africa
 * George Weideman, South Africa
 * Hein Willemse, South Africa
 * David Wright, South Africa
 * Christopher van Wyk, South Africa
 * Chapanga Wilson, Tanzania

X

 * Makhosazana Xaba, South Africa
 * Cali Xuseen Xirsi, Somalia

Y

 * Mvula ya Nangolo, Namibia
 * Shadya Yasin, Somalia

Z

 * Mohamed Zafzaf, Morocco
 * Moufdi Zakaria, Algeria
 * Abed Elrahim Abu Zakrra, Sudan
 * Musaemura Zimunya, Zimbabwe
 * Abdallah Zrika, Morocco