by Lekan Olanrewaju

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG)  has called for entries for The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The yearly literary prize is endowed by to honour the author of the best book by a Nigerian within the last four years.

The prize will rotate amongst four literary genres – prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. This year, the competition is for Prose Fiction.

The competition is open only to published works by Nigerian writers irrespective of place of residence. It carries a prize of $100,000. Two other writers may also be accorded honourable mention.

Submission Procedure

Six copies of the entry together with evidence of Nigerian citizenship (photocopy of Nigerian passport or National Identity Card) may be submitted either by authors or publishers, in accordance with the genre in competition.

Books should be submitted to Nigeria LNG Limited’s External Relations Division, promoters of the prize, by the stipulated deadline. Failure to meet the stated conditions will lead to disqualification of the entry.

This being an annual prize, the date of publication on the works submitted must be within the previous three years. Complete contact information, including full postal address and/or email and evidence of Nigerian citizenship, should accompany each submission.

An author in any competition will enter only one published work. Manuscripts will not be considered. No book previously submitted for this competition may be resubmitted at a later date, even if major revisions have been made or a new edition published.

The prize will be awarded for no other reason than excellence.

Judges for 2011 competition

Prof. Abiola Irele – Chairperson
Prof. JOJ Nwachukwu-Agbada – Member
Prof. Sophia Ogwude – Member
Prof. Angela Miri – Member
Prof. Oyeniyi Okuneye – Member

Calendar for Prize Administration

Close of entries (deadline) – March 31, 2011. Late entries will not be entertained.

All entries should be sent to:

The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Nigeria LNG Limited
Intels Aba Road Estate
KM 16 Aba Expressway
Port Harcourt, Rivers State
Nigeria

For entries outside Nigeria:

The Nigeria Prize for Literature
External Relations Division
Heron House,
10 Dean Farrar Street
London
SW1H oDX

– Nigeria LNG website