Nigeria Prize for Literature: Eze, Ifowodo, Oburumu battle for $100,000

‎Three poetry titles make final shortlist as judges narrow field from 223 entries
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‎Three poets have emerged as the final contenders for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature, Confiance News has learned, as the Advisory Board announced its shortlist for the coveted $100,000 award.
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‎James Ngwu Eze’s Unbind Me Now, Ogaga Ifowodo’s Why Does God Need A Gun?, and Tares Oburumu’s Flora’s Love Colony made the cut, it was gathered, following a longlist of 11 titles unveiled in July from an initial pool of 223 submissions.
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‎What the judges said
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‎According to a statement sighted by Confiance News, the Advisory Board praised Eze’s collection for its fluid, aesthetically captivating language, noting that it interrogates sociopolitical dysfunction both in Nigeria and globally while charting “a path for redemption.”
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‎Ifowodo’s entry, it was confirmed, depicts religious and political violence in Nigeria through a rich allegorical lens, structured around the tripartite theme of body, mind and spirit.
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‎Oburumu’s Flora’s Love Colony, meanwhile, was described as a densely poetic work confronting Nigeria’s troubled history, challenging mainstream narratives through lucid imagery and evocative language.
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‎Rigorous selection process
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‎The shortlist, Confiance News understands, followed an intensive judging process that scrutinised the works for language, form, originality, craftsmanship and lasting literary value.
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‎Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, said the selection reflects the depth and quality of contemporary Nigerian poetry, adding that narrowing 223 submissions down to three was a demanding task for the panel.
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‎She noted that the shortlisted works have distinguished themselves through their literary output, originality and their ability to engage both readers and the wider world.
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‎Poetry takes centre stage in 2026
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‎The 2026 edition of the prize is dedicated to poetry, continuing its annual rotation among four genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. Now in its 22nd year, the Nigeria Prize for Literature is sponsored by NLNG as part of its commitment to recognising literary excellence and growing the country’s literary culture.
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‎As the contest heads into its final stretch, attention has shifted from who made the shortlist to who will ultimately walk away with the prize.