Eleven poetry collections made it to the longlist of the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Nigeria LNG Limited announced the shortlist on Friday.
They will compete for the $100, 000 prize money for the biggest prize in African literature. The science prize also offers $100, 000.
The announcement, by the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Prize, Prof Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, marks a significant milestone in this year’s competition and reflects the exceptional quality, creativity and diversity of contemporary poetry, according to Dr Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development.
The longlisted titles, arranged alphabetically, are:
1.? ?Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide
2.? ?Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi
3.? ?Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje
4.? ?2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase
5.? ?Ceremony of The Nameless by Theresa Lola
6.? ?Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku
7.? ?Flora’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu
8.? ?The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan
9.? ?The Years of Blood by Adedayo Agarau
10.? ?Unbind me Now by James Ugwu Eze and
11.? ?Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo.
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo described the announcement as an important milestone in the 2026 edition of arguably Africa’s biggest and most prestigious literary prize.
She noted that the collections demonstrate poetry’s remarkable capacity to illuminate human experience through thoughtful reflection, cultural memory and artistic expression.
Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo added that the works revisit history, interrogate dominant historical narratives, and expose the forces that shape collective identities and social relations. She stated that despite their varied emphases, the books share a commitment to exploring the endurance of individuals and communities in the face of violence, oppression, and social fragmentation.
Commenting on style and language, Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo said the books display an impressive diversity of poetic techniques, characterised by lyrical intensity, symbolic depth, and artistic innovation.
‘Many employ densely poetic, allegorical, and elegiac modes that invite multiple layers of interpretation, while others draw extensively on folklore, oral traditions, and contemporary realities to create a compelling fusion of past and present. Their language is generally fluid, evocative, and aesthetically refined, relying on vivid imagery, emotional resonance, and intellectual sophistication to convey complex ideas. These works demonstrate how poetic language can illuminate social realities, challenge established perspectives, and give voice to both individual and collective experiences.’
‘The next stage will require a closer reading of each work, with attention to language, form, originality and lasting literary value,’ she stated.
She also commended the judges for their work and reaffirmed the Advisory Board’s commitment to a credible process, literary excellence, and a strong reading culture.
The announcement of the 11-title longlist formally opens the next phase of the shortlist of three in August and the possible announcement of the winner in October.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by NLNG, offers a $100,000 cash award to the author of the winning book. In its 22nd year, the prize rotates annually among four genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – with the 2026 edition devoted to poetry.
More about the longlist
The longlist was selected from 223 entries submitted for this year’s competition-1. The list features a mix of established and emerging poets. For instance, Tanure Ojaide and Ogaga Ifowodo were both finalists for the prize in 2017.
According to Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, the Chairman of the Advisory Board, the works were selected for their quality and diversity. She noted that the collections explore themes of resilience, violence, oppression, and social fragmentation, often employing allegorical, elegiac, and folklore-inspired techniques.
The competition will now proceed to the next stage. A shortlist of three finalists is expected to be announced in August 2026, with the overall winner announced in October 2026