ANA Honours Nine Writers At Abuja Convention, Raises Literary Prize Money To ₦500,000
Association announces winners across major literary categories
THE Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced the winners of its 2026 literary prizes, recognising nine writers for their contributions to Nigerian literature.
The winners emerged across poetry, fiction, drama, literary criticism, non-fiction, children’s fiction, young adult literature and the Chinua Achebe Prize for Literature. Notably, the drama category produced joint winners, bringing the total number of award recipients to nine.
Among the writers recognised were Onyikan Braithwaite, Jide Salawu, Chude Jideonwo, Foluke Sijuwola Falayi, Erhu Kome, Ekikerebong Aniekan Usoro and Dexter Loko.
At the convention in Abuja, ANA President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, also announced plans to increase the prize money for all the association’s literary awards to ₦500,000 per category from next year.
He explained that the association, which was established in 1981, had attained 45 years and needed to adopt new approaches to supporting writers and promoting literary excellence.
According to Akanbi, the arrival of sponsors and partners, including United Nigeria Airlines and the Reprographic Rights Society of Nigeria (REPRONIG), had strengthened ANA’s capacity to provide greater value for members and their creative works.
He noted that the prize money had remained at ₦100,000 for a considerable period. Therefore, the planned increase represents a significant improvement in the association’s recognition and support of literary achievement.
Salawu, Braithwaite & others win major awards
In the ANA/KMVL Prize for Poetry, Jide Salawu emerged winner with his collection, Contraband Bodies. He defeated Abraham Aondoana, shortlisted for Songs for a Burning Continent, and Ebi Yeibo, whose entry was Cantos of a Capsized Canoe.
Salawu will also receive the Awele Ilusanmi Book Promotion Award.
Meanwhile, Onyikan Braithwaite won the ANA/King Dakolo Prize for Fiction with Cursed Daughters. Her shortlisted competitors were Yejide Kilanko, author of In Our Own Ways, and Onyeka Nwelue, whose entry was Murder in Orania.
Braithwaite will equally receive the Awele Ilusanmi Book Promotion Award.
The drama category produced two winners. Selome Medemaku’s The Throne of Silence and Bolaji Olatunde’s Life Less Abundant jointly secured the ANA Prize for Drama. They emerged ahead of Uzo Nwamara’s Eye of the Emperor.
Both award recipients will also receive the Awele Ilusanmi Book Promotion Award.
In literary criticism, Ekikerebong Aniekan Usoro won the ANA/Amina Talaku Zakama Prize with his essay, “Postcolonialism in Transition: From Counter Discourse to Non-Counter Discourse in Joe Ushie’s Yawns and Belches.”
His work defeated two other shortlisted essays. They were Onyebuchi Nwosu’s “Poetic Kaleidoscope: Portrayal of Judicial Corruption in Niyi Osundare’s ‘My Lord, Tell Me Where to Keep Your Bribe’” and Bartholomew Chizoba Akpah’s “Negotiating Nigeria’s Cohesion and the Rhetoric of Herdsmen Attack in Ahmed Yerima’s Hendu.”
Jideonwo, Falayi, Kome & Loko complete winners’ list
Chude Jideonwo won the ANA/Sir Chukwuemeka Sam Nwelue Prize for Non-fiction with How Depression Saved My Life. His book emerged ahead of Al-Bishak’s Humility Sparks Progress.
In the children’s fiction category, Foluke Sijuwola Falayi secured the ANA/Ngozi Chuma-Udeh Prize with Beans for Supper. The other shortlisted entries were Amaechi Odimeze’s Avarice and Amaka Confidence Obinwogu’s Friends till Friday.
Similarly, Erhu Kome won the HRM Eze M. O. Kanu/ANA Prize for Young Adult Literature with The Smoke that Thunders. Peter Adah’s A Twist of Fate and Bolaji Tijani’s Adamu in Trouble were the other shortlisted works.
The Chinua Achebe Prize for Literature went to Dexter Loko for The Bako of Zereshe. His competitors were Henry Akubuiro, whose entry was No Place Like Home, and Oyedikachi Uzozie Nmezi, author of Chikoba.
ANA said all winners would receive prize money, plaques and certificates. The association described the awards as part of its continuing efforts to encourage literary production, promote Nigerian writing and improve the commercial viability of books by Nigerian authors.
Publishers strengthen their presence in Nigerian literature
Lagos-based Narrative Landscape Press (NLP) emerged as the most prominent publishing house among the award-winning entries, securing three prizes.
Its published works included Erhu Kome’s The Smoke that Thunders, Chude Jideonwo’s How Depression Saved My Life and Onyikan Braithwaite’s Cursed Daughters.
Braithwaite’s victory was particularly notable because she defeated fellow Narrative Landscape Press author Yejide Kilanko, whose novel In Our Own Ways also made the fiction shortlist.
The publisher’s three awards point to the growing influence of professionally managed publishing outfits in developing and promoting Nigerian writing.
Similarly, Masobe Books has strengthened its position through recent successes at The Nigeria Prize for Literature. Its published titles include Oyin Olugbile’s Sanya, which won in 2025, and Ogaga Ifowodo’s Why Does God Need a Gun?, which won in 2026. James Eze’s Unbind Me Now, also published by Masobe, featured among the contenders for the latter award.
Together, Narrative Landscape Press and Masobe Books have become prominent contributors to the evolving Nigerian publishing landscape over the past five years.
ANA acknowledges sponsors & judges
The association expressed appreciation to its sponsors and supporters, including United Nigeria Airlines, Col. K. K. Shaw of KMVL, King Bubraye Dakolo of Epetiama Kingdom in Bayelsa State, Dr Kabura Zakama and Prof. Ngozi Chuma-Udeh.
Others recognised included the families of late HRM Eze M. O. Kanu and late Sir Chukwuemeka Sam Nwelue, as well as Mrs. Awele Ilusanmi, popularly known among her admirers as the Queen of Books.
ANA also commended the judges across the various award categories for their intellectual contributions and selection of the winning entries.
They included Prof. Francis Oyeh, Dr. Abba A. Abba, Dr. Zaynab Ango, Dr. Olusola Oso, Mallam Sumaila Umaisha, Mr. Ene Igbifa, Lizi Ben-Iheanacho, Mr. Sunday Odoh and Mr. Jide Ogunlana.
The association said their work had helped identify and celebrate literary contributions that enrich Nigeria’s growing body of creative writing.
