Since its inception in 2004, Nigeria LNG Limited has sponsored The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The prize brings Nigerian authors to the public’s attention and celebrates their excellence. As a result, Nigeria LNG Limited awards the prize to only Nigerian writers. Although initially a $20,000 win, the prize’s monetary reward since has been raised to $100,000 since 2011. The prize rotates around the [ … ]

On Thursday, July 7, Babishai Niwe Poetry Foundation announced its shortlist for its inaugural Haiku competition, Babishaiku. Haiku poems consist of 3 lines. The first and last lines of a Haiku have 5 syllables and the middle line has 7 syllables. The lines rarely rhyme. The shortlisted poets include: Blessmond Alebna Ayinbire (Ghana) fogbound day… everyone suffers myopia Chibuihe-Light Obi from Nigeria weaver birds… the bombed [ … ]

The 2016 Caine Prize winner was unveiled on July 4 as Lidudumalingani for his short story entitled ‘Memories We Lost‘ published in Incredible Journey: Stories That Move You. The Chair of Judges, Delia Jarrett-Macauley, announced the winner of the £10,000 prize at a dinner held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. ‘Memories We Lost’ tells the emotionally charged story of a girl who acts [ … ]

The Caine Prize on March 18 announced its upcoming Caine Prize Zambia workshop. Twelve writers from six African countries will convene at the Chaminuka Lodge near Lusaka for 13 days from March 18 – 29 to writ­­e, read and discuss work in progress and to learn from Jamal Mahjoub, Parker Bilal, and Caine Prize Deputy Chairperson Ellah Wakatama Allfrey OBE. The writers [ … ]

The Miles Morland Foundation is pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Morland Writing Scholarships. They are:  Akwaeke Emezi, Nigeria (Fiction): The Death of Vivek Oji – Emezi plans a novel in which a mixed race couple mourn the loss of their adult child who found murdered in the market place. What begins as a tale of loss becomes an investigation [ … ]

We are excited to announce the #EtisalatPrizeforLiterature 2015 Shortlist #EPL2015Shortlist pic.twitter.com/v8VTcgUf8D — Etisalat Prize (@etisalatreads) December 14, 2015 Etisalat on Monday announced the three shortlisted books for its much anticipated 2015 Prize for Literature. They are: Fiston Mwanza Mujila (Democratic Republic of Congo), Tram 83 Two friends, one a budding writer home from Europe, the other an ambitious racketeer, meet in the [ … ]

The Africa Centre presents its shortlist of 68 of the continent’s most provocative, innovative and socially engaged artists to be considered for 15 residency opportunities available through partnerships with the following residencies: Bundanon Trust (Australia); Fountainhead (USA); Instituto Sacatar (Brazil); JIWAR Creation & Society (Spain); Khoj International Artists’ Association (India); Kuona Trust Arts Centre (Kenya); Nafasi Arts Space (Tanzania);  & The Rockefeller [ … ]

Etisalat has released its long-list for the 2015 edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature Flash Fiction Category. These stories were selected through an online voting process which spanned between Nov. 9, 2015 and Nov. 25, 2015 The top entries include: “Above Board” “Zebra Crossing” “Satan Be Gone” “3x, Blood on The Bench” “The Time in Her Name” “Human” “Ole, Blood on [ … ]

Okayafrica is looking for the brightest writers/bloggers in the NYC area to join its editorial team. To apply for Okayafrica’s editorial internship, send three writing samples, a cover letter and a resume to interns@okayafrica.com. The intern program is an intensive immersion into the world of online publishing and cultural journalism and will most benefit those planning a career in media. You will participate in everything from editorial planning and reporting [ … ]

The Miles Morland Foundation is delighted to announce the shortlist for the 2015 Morland Writing Scholarships. Of the twenty one shortlisted applicants below, seven are from South Africa, six from Nigeria, three from Ghana, two from Uganda, and one each from Zimbabwe, Egypt and Sudan. “This year we had 345 entries. This was fewer than last year but I felt [ … ]

The Kwani? Litfest, established in 2006, brings together leading writers from across Africa for one week in a high-energy social and creative encounter around one salient subject, explored through the lenses of the continent’s past, present and emerging literatures. The fifth edition of Kwani? Litfest, a biennial gathering of writers, artists and thinkers from across Africa, will take place December [ … ]

The award was founded in 2005 by the wRite associates and the Department of Arts and Culture, to celebrate literary excellence in all the languages of South Africa. This year’s winners, announced this weekend at the Tshwane Events Centre are: First Time Published Author Award: Carol Campbell, My Children Have Faces K Sello Duiker Memorial Literary Award: Zukiswa Wanner, London [ … ]

Short Story Day Africa is pleased to announce the shortlist for the R10,000 Short Story Day Africa Prize for Short Fiction. All longlisters stories will be collected in Water: New Short Fiction From Africa, Short Story Day Africa’s third anthology. The shortlist is as follows: “A Fierce Symmetry” by Alex Latimer  “Water No Get Enemy” by Fred Khumalo “Finding Mermaids” by Chido Muchemwa “The [ … ]

Zukiswa Wanner has won the South African Literary Award’s K.Sello Duiker Memorial Award for her novel “London Cape Town Joburg.” Zukiswa sits on the Writivism Board. In 2007, she also was shortlisted for the K Sello Duiker Award for her first novel, The Madams. *** Featured photo via thisisAfrica

Three years after his last book, One Day I Will Write About This Place, Binyavanga Wainaina recently signed a two-book deal with Hamish Hamilton, a Penguin Books imprint, for UK/Commonwealth distribution and Random House for the distribution. The two books will be How to Write About Africa, an expanded version of the eponymous short satirical piece, and  It is only a Matter of Acceleration Now, based on travels [ … ]

The grant which Lagos State Governor gives to 100 undergraduates in order for them to attend the Ake Arts and Book Festival will be closing in two days, Nov. 6. Students will receive N20,000 worth of book tokens which can only be spent at the festival bookstore. To qualify for this grant, you must meet the following requirements: Be from [ … ]