Chika Unigwe, the creative director of Awele Creative Trust.

Submissions are now open for the 2023 Awele Creative Trust Award. If you are a short story writer between ages 16-26 who is Nigerian or resides in Nigeria, apply soon! The deadline is January 10.

Awele Creative Trust (ACT) is a non-profit trust formed in 2013 to provide a platform and enabling environment for creative young persons in Nigeria through literature and arts. Beginning in 2015, ACT offers an annual award with a monetary sum attached to it, to encourage aspiring writers.

The ACT prize is awarded to a short story by any writer between the ages of 16 and 26, who is a resident in Nigeria.
The winning author will received a cash prize of N50,000.

Submission Guidelines:

  • Previously published work is not eligible for the ACT award.
  • Submissions should be made by e-mail only to [email protected].
  • Only one story per author will be considered in any one year.
  • Submissions should include a cover note with the name, date of birth, e-mail address and telephone number of the author.
  • Only fictional work is eligible.
  • Works must be between 2,500 and 5,000 words.
  • Works translated into English from any Nigerian languages are eligible. Should such a work win, N20,000 of the prize money will go to the translator.

A longlist will be announced in February, and a shortlist of five will be announced in March. A winner will be announced in April 2024.

Deadline: January 10, 2024

Submit here.

Good luck!