Tanzanian writer Abdulrazak Gurnah has said he was “surprised and humbled” to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature.

The author was praised by the Swedish Academy for the “uncompromising and compassionate penetration of the effects of colonialism” reflected in his 10 novels.

Gurnah said it was “important” for the Academy to highlight the themes in his work.

The UK-based novelist told the PA news agency: “I am very surprised and humbled, and of course, I’m thrilled and honoured to be selected for this wonderful award, I feel very proud.

“It’s my work that has been honoured by the Academy, so of course it’s such a proud moment for me. When you write you hope to make some kind of contribution and impact, and looking at those who have preceded me I just feel so humbled.

“This is the last thing I would have imagined for myself – I only heard 10 minutes before the announcement was made, someone phoned me and I thought it was a prank, to be honest.

“Sitting here at my desk I can see all the emails piling up, people have called me, I’m still getting phone calls now.”

Gurnah, who was born in Zanzibar in 1948, moved to Britain as a teenage refugee after an uprising on the Indian Ocean island in 1968.

He said the award means issues such as the refugee crisis and colonialism, which he has experienced, will be “discussed”.

He added: “These are things that are with us every day. People are dying, people are being hurt around the world – we must deal with these issues in the most kind way.

“I came to England when these words, such as asylum-seeker, were not quite the same – more people are struggling and running from terror states.

“The world is much more violent than it was in the 1960s, so there is now greater pressure on the countries that are safe, they inevitably draw more people.

“It’s still sinking in that the Academy has chosen to highlight these themes which are present throughout my work, it’s important to address and speak about them.”