ANA calls for entries for its 2026 literary prizes

By ANA Media Team

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has officially announced the call for entries for its 2026 literary prizes, inviting Nigerian writers from across the globe to submit eligible works for consideration.

The annual prizes celebrate excellence in Nigerian literature and provide a platform for recognizing outstanding contributions across multiple literary genres.

In a statement issued by the ANA media team and signed by the Secretary General, Dame Joan Oji, Ph.D., the association reaffirmed its commitment to promoting literary creativity and rewarding exceptional writing.

The announcement highlights the organisation’s longstanding role in encouraging the development and visibility of Nigerian literature both locally and internationally.

According to the statement, the 2026 prizes will recognize published works in poetry, fiction, drama, literary criticism, non-fiction, and children’s literature.

These categories reflect the diversity of Nigerian literary expression and the association’s dedication to supporting writers working across different forms of storytelling and scholarship.

Leading the list of prizes is the ANA/KMVL Prize for Poetry, which carries a cash award of N200,000. The prize will be awarded to a collection of poems published by a Nigerian author between 2025 and 2026. The poetry prize continues to be one of ANA’s flagship recognitions for poets whose works demonstrate artistic excellence and originality.

Also open for submissions is the ANA/King Dakolo Prize for Fiction, which offers N100,000 for the best novel published by a Nigerian author within the same eligibility period.

Alongside it is the ANA Prize for Drama, also valued at N100,000, which honors outstanding plays that contribute to the growth of Nigerian theatre and dramatic literature.

The association will also award the ANA/Amina Talaku Zakama Prize for Literary Criticism, worth N100,000. This category is open to academic essays of not less than 4,000 words examining any aspect of Nigerian literature, provided the work was published in a reputable journal between 2025 and 2026.

In addition, the ANA/Sir Chukwuemeka Sam Nwelue Prize for Non-Fiction, valued at N100,000, will recognize a book of creative non-fiction such as autobiography, biography, memoir, travelogue, or a collection of essays of at least 100 pages.

The ANA/Ngozi Chuma-Udeh Prize for Children’s Fiction, also carrying N100,000, will reward a prose work written for children and published within the eligibility period.

Interested authors are required to submit ten copies of their work along with a photocopy of the deposit slip for the N10,000 entry fee per submission.

Each entry must be accompanied by a covering letter specifying the prize category, the author’s full contact details including email, postal address, and telephone number, as well as proof of Nigerian citizenship.

The entry fee should be paid to the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Account Number 2020543538.

All submission materials should be sent to the General Secretary, Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), KM 2, Mamman Vatsa Writers’ Village, Mpape, Abuja.

ANA emphasised that all submitted works must be original, published between 2025 and 2026, and must not have been previously entered for any ANA prize.

While multiple entries are allowed, each submission must meet the stipulated guidelines and be accompanied by the required entry fee and documentation.

The statement further noted that the prizes are not open to members of the ANA Board of Trustees, the National Executive Council, prize jury members, or their immediate family members.

Judges are also required to recuse themselves from assessing any work to which they have contributed editorial input such as blurbs, forewords, or introductions.

All entries must be received on or before June 30, 2026, and no extensions will be granted. A shortlist of nominees will be announced in August 2026, while winners will be unveiled at the Awards Dinner during the ANA International Annual Convention scheduled to hold from October 29 to November 1, 2026.

The association encourages all eligible Nigerian writers to take advantage of this opportunity to showcase their work and contribute to the continued growth of Nigerian literature. For further enquiries, interested participants may contact the association through anaauthors@gmail.com.