Idumaese Alao Foundation (IAF) is hereby calling for entries for the Idumaese Alao Prize for Literature 2026. Now in its third year, the prize was instituted in 2024 in memory of Idumaese Alao, to spotlight and reward talented writers and literary artists across Nigeria, Africa, and the world at large. The genres under focus are Poetry, Short Story, and Creative Nonfiction. The 2026 jury comprises the Nigerian writers, literary critics and scholars Dr. O.O. Alao, Dr. Regina Achie, and David Ishaya Osu. In addition, the prize is worth Three Hundred Thousand (300,000) Naira, to be shared among three winners.
Submission Guidelines
- 1. The theme is (Un)Safe Spaces. We are on the lookout for a variety of creative, brave, and experimental interpretations of the theme.
- 2. Send only UNPUBLISHED work which is not under consideration elsewhere.
- 3. Only ONE entry per author is permitted. POETRY should not exceed 50 lines, while SHORT STORY and CREATIVE NONFICTION should not exceed 2000 words (including the title).
- 4. Only Nigerian writers, 18 years and above, residing anywhere in the world are eligible.
- 5. Entries should be sent as word documents, Times New Roman 12, 1.5 line spacing.
- 6. There should be no identifying information on the entry.
- 7. Entries should be accompanied by a cover letter in the body of the mail, comprising author’s third-person brief biography, location, and author’s picture (portrait).
- 8. All entries should be sent to idumaesealaofoundation@gmail.com with the subject, 2026 IDUMAESE ALAO PRIZE FOR LITERATURE.
- 9. Submissions are open through March 13, 2026.
- 10. Plagiarism and use of Artificial Intelligence will not be tolerated.
- 11. By submitting your work, you give Idumaese Alao Foundation right to publish it in the prize anthology, both online and in print.
- 12. The jury’s decision is final.
The Jurors
Osieka Osinimu Alao is a Nigerian writer, poet, literary critic and scholar, editor, humanitarian, and a media and culture enthusiast. He has a PhD in Literature from Benue State University and an MA in Creative Writing from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. He was longlisted for the Toyin Falola Prize 2024, and the Second Prize Winner of the inaugural Rhonda Gail Williford Award for Poetry 2023. His works are featured in The Offing, ANMLY, The Shore, and Lumiere Review. He is @OOAlao_ on X & Instagram.
Regina Achie, B. A. Eng., M.A. Lit., PhD Lit., PGDE, is an award-winning poet, prose writer, and essayist. She is co-founder of Ace Booksquare, a vibrant book club fostering love for reading and literary discourse generally, and Chief Executive Officer of Awase Bookhouse, a publishing house dedicated to showcasing exceptional authors and their works. She is also a freelance editor and writer. Regina writes poetry, prose, and children’s stories. Her book, Let Me Die Another Day, was runner-up in the Association of Nigerian Authors 2021 Poetry Prize and her story, “Charred”, was runner-up in the Green We Left Behind Creative Non-Fiction Literary Competition in 2021. She is the author of Dog Tales for Children,and has co-edited several anthologies of poetry, short stories, and essays.
David Ishaya Osu is a writer, poet, memoirist, and street photographer living in South Australia. He is a Senior Editor at Panorama: The Journal of Travel, Place, and Nature. His work has appeared in publications across Nigeria, Uganda, the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, Austria, India, Bangladesh, India, France, South Africa, and elsewhere. David is winner of The Charles Rischbieth Jury Poetry Prize for 2024 and is currently completing a PhD in Creative Writing at Adelaide University, Australia.
