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We are so thrilled to announce the Winners of the Inaugural Iskanchi Magazine Prize!

We are thrilled to announce the shortlist for the inaugural Iskanchi Magazine Prize! We received so many incredible stories from talented writers across Africa, narrowing down our finalists was no easy task. Each shortlisted writer has shown remarkable skill in storytelling, presenting unique and compelling narratives that reflect diverse voices and experiences.

In K. M. McKenzie’s spirited fantasy novel The Civilization, a skeptical girl with a heroic destiny learns about darkmagic threats to the enchanted, hidden world of her ancestors. Raised by her rambling, nomadic grandfather in North Africa, seventeen-year-old Kadsa is fed crazy-sounding stories:she hails from the land of Marut, to where her grandfather yearns to return,

BEST OF ISELE ANTHOLOGY, an anthology of the best essays, poems, and short stories from Isele Magazine, including works by Uchechukwu Peter Umezurike

Retired high school teacher Meriel Mongie's THE MAN WITH YELLOW HAIR, following the enduring friendship of two women as they blossom through youth, motherhood, and the losses that come with time

Editor K. M. McKenzie's THE CIVILIZATION, in which a teenage girl must find a way to save a kingdom forsaken by the gods, pitched as CHRONICLES OF NARNIA meets CHILDREN OF BLOOD AND BONE

Mauritanian philosophy professor Moussa Ould Ebnou's THE NEW EVE, a collection of shorts stories with a blend of science fiction and mysticism, history and myth, truth and fiction

Established to produce and distribute in the US and Canada, Iskanchi Press is an independent publishing house focused on fiction, essays, poetry, folklore and folktales, children’s books, books on African heroes and history, as written by Africans. We believe that representation demands availability, and by creating and controlling the means to produce our books, we not only show that we are and must be seen, we also ensure that we tell our own stories without erasure, censoring, and whitewashing to suit the sensibilities of the Other.

Iskanchi Press is a new US-based independent publishing house founded by Nigerian writer and former Kachifo editor Kenechi Uzor. The word “Iskanchi” is “the Hausa word for mischief, irreverence, and craziness” and conveys the press’s mission to create visibility for African writers that go against convention.There are three ways to get involved:

Iskanchi Press and Magazine.The publishing outfit focuses on publishing fiction, essays, poetry, folklore and folktales, children’s books, books on African heroes, and history, as written by Africans. According to what is written on their website, the press accepts manuscripts in every genre provided they “honor the craft of writing and are written by Africans.Iskanchi Press also houses the Iskanchi Literary Magazine, a Hausa word for ‘mischief

Iskanchi Press is a new publishing outfit for African writing and it couldn’t have come at a better time. With the current dearth of people of colour publishing in the industry, it is a welcome addition. Founded by Nigerian writer, journalist, teacher and publisher Kenechi Uzor, the publishing house was unveiled Yesterday following an announcement made by the founder via his Twitter.The tweet reads in part: "Acting on the need for more #POC in the #publishing, we are launching @iskanchipress to produce and publish African books in US/Canada..."

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah student from Nigeria is focused on telling authentic stories about Africa through his new publishing firm. Kenechi Uzor moved to Utah nearly a decade ago, following his wife in nursing school at Utah Valley University.He quickly realized there were a lot of misperceptions about Africa and wanted to make a change. Uzor started with several writers and books lined up, ready for distribution that explored his homeland.

Iskanchi Press, a Utah-based publishing venture, is on a mission to challenge and transform the global narrative surrounding Africa. . Founder Kenechi Uzor, a Nigerian student, aims to bring authentic African stories to the forefront with genres ranging from science fiction to translations from various African languages. Supported by the University of Utah's Lassonde Institute, Iskanchi Press is set to reshape perceptions through literature.In the heart of Utah, a movement begins,

As the publishing industry makes greater concerted efforts to represent the rich diversity of the world in which we live, small presses and imprints under larger houses are taking the lead. Building well-rounded library collections by acquiring books and other materials that represent the realities of the communities library workers serve is both a duty and a privilege. Owing to a status quo in publishing that has for many years defaulted to works primarily by members of privileged and dominant groups, librarians have had to look harder to find a range of titles by writers who are Black, Indigenous, People of Color, disabled, nonbinary, neurodivergent, queer and/or transgender

Nigerian native Kenechi Uzor, who graduated from the Denver Publishing Institute, named his small press after the Hausa word Iskanchi, meaning wayward, disobedient nonconforming. Iskanchi Press and its sister publication, “Iskanchi Magazine,” publish works by African writers, especially those that are innovative and experimental.“We wanted to act on the need for more people of color in publishing, to represent ourselves, to tell our own stories

Kenechi Uzor wants to amplify African voices.That’s why he launched Iskanchi Press, a United States-based publishing house. The name is inspired by “Iskanci,” the Hausa word for non-conformity – something Uzor’s startup lives up to.He is now growing the company in the Master of Business Creation, an applied program for entrepreneurs at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business.

We are so elated! Barzakh: The Land In-Between by Moussa Ebnou made it to Brittle Paper's list of 100 Notable African Books of 2022.This was the first book we acquired, to see it honoured in this way is beyond beautiful.

Our participation in the ALA conference held in Chicago, sponsored by indie press Pavilion, was an enriching experience. Setting up our table, adorned with books from Iskanchi, allowed us to showcase our literary offerings to a diverse audience of bibliophiles and professionals in the industry. Engaging with attendees, we shared our passion for literature and exchanged ideas on storytelling and publishing.

Setting up our table, adorned with books from Iskanchi, allowed us to showcase our literary offerings to a diverse audience of bibliophiles and professionals in the industry. Engaging with attendees, we shared our passion for literature and exchanged ideas on storytelling and publishing. The event provided an invaluable platform for networking and forging connections within the literary community.

The Iskanchi Book Prize attracted an impressive array of talented writers, and we are thrilled to see such diversity and excellence on this year's shortlist.The 11 shortlisted manuscripts showcase the best of African realities and the continent's vibrant literary talent and align with our mission to promote authentic African perspectives

We are thrilled to announce that Aminta Dupuis's debut novel, The Child from Dindefello Falls, has won the inaugural Iskanchi Book Prize.The announcement was made via Zoom, featuring our outstanding shortlisted writers, who read excerpts from their manuscripts. It was inspiring to witness these talented authors read from their exceptional work

Kenechi Uzor, the Nigerian-born founder and CEO of Iskanchi Press and its sister publication, Iskanchi Magazine, has a global outlook and ambitions. Uzor established the indie publisher and online journal to increase the representation of African voices in contemporary publishing