The submission window for the 2025 Toyin Fálọlá Prize is now open! Now in its 5th edition, the prize welcomes short stories until April 15, 2025.

This year, the annual prize invites African writers to submit narratives that explore the intricate intersectionality of Nature, Technology, Earth, Artificial Intelligence, and Life itself. Drawing inspiration from historical moments—such as the 1982 Time Magazine’s choice of a personal computer as “Man of the Year” and the 1988 recognition of Earth as its winner—this edition seeks to engage with the ongoing discourse around humanity’s evolving relationship with technology and the environment.

As we stand at the crossroads of past, present, and future, TFP calls for stories that challenge conventional boundaries and reimagine humanity’s connection to the world. Whether factual or fictional, submissions should delve into the symbiotic and tension-filled relationships between the Earth and the technologies that shape our lives.

Last year, Divine Inyang Titus won the prize with his short story “Fibers from the Deep.” He was awarded $1000 USD and an invitation to the BIGSAS Festival of African and African Diasporic Literatures at Bayreuth in Germany. This year, the prize will be judged by South African author and professor F. Fiona Moolla and Nigerian short story author Rafeeat Aliyu.

The Toyin Fálọlá Prize welcomes creative, genre-bending submissions that question established norms, spark new perspectives, and blur the lines between reality and imagination. Submissions can explore themes such as the role of Artificial Intelligence in our lives, the complexities of nature and technology, or the harmony and discord between the physical and digital worlds. Witty language and humor are encouraged, but please note that erotica and chic-lit will not be accepted.

Submission Guidelines:

  • The writer should not be below the age of 15 or above 35 at the time of submission.
  • There is no limit to the number of words; however, we would prefer submissions within the range of 1,500 – 4,500 words.
  • We do not accept more than an entry per writer/submission.
  • All entrants must be African; that is, the writer should either be born in Africa or have either of the two parents as African.
  • All submissions must be the original work of the entrants, previously unpublished in any form, and not under consideration for publication or a prize somewhere else. That means we do not accept translated works or simultaneous submissions. Note: Published means either online in any form or on any platform.
  • All submissions should be sent to prize@lunaris.com.ng with the subject TOYIN FALOLA PRIZE SUBMISSION.
  • All submissions should be attached as a doc. file, named as the title of the submission (without the name of the entrant) and formatted in 1.5 line spacing, Book Antiqua theme font with font size 12. Note: Other file formats would not be considered for the prize.
  • Also, the body of the submission email should not contain the bio of the entrant, just the title of the submission, word count, genre, full name, and contact information. Bios of the entrants would be requested upon selection. The file itself should not indicate the name or any identifying detail of the entrant.
  • By submitting to the prize, the entrant gives Pan-African University Press the exclusive right (or as determined by PAUP) to edit and publish their works upon selection for the longlist in the ensuing anthology of the prize.
  • No member or relative of the Lunaris Review Team and Pan-African University Press would be considered for the Prize.

Deadline: April 15, 2025 | Find more information here.