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
• Henrique Abranches, Angola
• 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
• Amina Said Ali, Somalia
• 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

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

L[]

• 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
• Chuma Mmeka, Nigeria
• 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
• Zina Mahjoub, 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
• 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