Obibiezenna Prize for Literature
The Obibiezenna Prize for Literature 2026: Open to African and African Diaspora Writers
Submissions are open for the 2026 Obibiezenna Prize for Literature, an annual literary award celebrating outstanding fiction and poetry by African writers.
The organisers invite writers from across Africa and the African diaspora to submit their work. For the Poetry Prize, applicants may submit one unpublished poem written in English, with no minimum or maximum word count.
Submissions opened on October 10, 2026, and the deadline to enter is November 5, 2026.
About the Obibiezenna Prize for Literature
The Obibiezenna Prize for Literature was established to recognise original and imaginative fiction and poetry by African authors and to provide writers with a platform for their work.
The prize seeks to celebrate both established and emerging writers and works that reflect the breadth of African literary expression and experience.
Its interests are deliberately broad. The prize welcomes literature that may be experimental, intimate, political, humorous, speculative, romantic, philosophical or difficult to categorise, as well as writers experimenting with language and literary form.
Poets preparing their entries may find it useful to read ten brilliant poets discussing their writing philosophies, recommended poems and experiences with rejection.
Writers interested in fiction can also explore this Creative Writing News selection of some of the best short stories available to read online.
Who Can Enter the Obibiezenna Prize for Literature?
The 2026 prize is open to African writers and writers from the African diaspora.
Applicants must:
- Be 18 years or older
- State their nationality when completing the application
- Meet the prize’s eligibility requirements for African and African diaspora writers
Eligible writers in the African diaspora are not required to upload identity documents as part of the application.
Poetry Prize Submission Guidelines
Writers entering the Poetry Prize may submit one poem only.
The poem must meet the following requirements:
- Number of poems: One
- Language: English
- Word count: No minimum or maximum
- Publication status: Unpublished
- File format: PDF or Word document
- You must clearly indicate the title of the poem.
Applicants should submit the manuscript anonymously. Applicants must remove their name from the manuscript and include only the title of the poem.
How to Submit
Before submitting, applicants should:
- Prepare their manuscript.
- Remove their name from the manuscript, leaving only the title.
- Review the eligibility requirements.
- Complete the online submission form.
- Upload the manuscript.
- Submit the application before the deadline.
Applications are submitted through the official Obibiezenna Prize for Literature portal.
Submit your work to The Obibiezenna Prize for Literature
Important Dates
Applicants should note the following dates:
- Submissions opened: October 10, 2026
- Submission deadline: November 5, 2026
- Shortlist announced: November 30, 2026
- Winners announced: December 12, 2026
Writers are encouraged to submit before the deadline and carefully check that their manuscript meets the formatting and anonymity requirements.
