Lifetime Achievement awards:

2026: Dr. Laura Downing, Professor Emerita of the University of Gothenburg. She was instrumental in the founding of the ACAL Association, and was its President for three years. She has been a constant and powerful advocate for African languages and linguistics, and for ACAL.

2018: Professor Dr. Eyamba Bokamba, Professor Emeritus of the University of Illinois. He has been a leading scholar in the field of African linguistics, and has been a leading figure in ACAL conferences, with Illinois hosting the conference several times.