This year’s competition will focus on children’s literature.
By Helena Olori
The submission window for the 2024 edition of the Nigeria Prize for Literature, Literary Criticism, and Science is now open until Tuesday 2, April 2024. The annual prize, one of the richest literary awards in the country, is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited.
The Literature Prize, which honours the author of the best book by a Nigerian irrespective of their place of residence, rotates among four literary genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature. This year’s competition is focused on children’s literature with a cash prize of one hundred thousand dollars (USD100,000) in view.
A panel of judges, chaired by Professor Saleh Abdu, will oversee this year’s competition. The judges, appointed by the Advisory Board for Literature, reflect the focus genre with vast experiences, peer recognition, good public image and command respect nationally and internationally. Abdu will be joined by Professor Vicky Sylvester and Dr Osarobu Emmanuel, with Dr Christopher Okemwa serving as an international consultant.
To apply, authors or publishers will send twelve copies of their entry with an electronic copy and proof of Nigerian citizenship, alongside the application form available on the Nigerian Prizes website, to the External Relations Division of Nigeria LNG Limited Corporate Head Office on or before the deadline.
Authors are limited to one published work each; unpublished works, previously submitted titles, or books published before 2021 are not eligible. Entries submitted after the deadline or from members of the Advisory Board, Panel of Judges, and their families during their service period and two years thereafter, as well as from Nigeria LNG Limited staff and their families, will not be accepted.
The winner(s) will be announced and presented at a grand event scheduled to be held later in October, 2024.
Obari Gomba’s play, Grit won the 2023 prize, while Eyoh Asuquo Etim and Hippolite Amadi emerged as winners for Literary Criticism and Science, respectively.
For further details, see the here.