It’s Entry Time Again: Nigerian Students Poetry Prize 2020

What is the Nigerian Students Poetry Prize about?

The Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) is an initiative of Poets in Nigeria (PIN) aimed at stimulating literary creativity and encouraging critical thinking among Nigerian undergraduates. With the decline in reading habits among students, NSPP seeks to rekindle interest while at the same time, rewarding excellence.

With it’s inception in 2016, NSPP is reputed as the foremost poetry prize for Nigerian students. Over a million Naira (1,000,000) has been awarded to winning entrants and 400 poemspoems authored by selected student-poets in four anthologies have been published: The Sun Will Rise Again (2016), Mixed History (2017), Deep Dreams (2018) and Micah (2019).

The fifth edition of the Nigerian Students Poetry Prize (NSPP) opens for submission between 15th January and 31st March, 2020. Interested Nigerian undergraduates are expected to submit a 30-line poem on any theme of their choice before the deadline.

Prizes to be won

1st Prize – ₦250,000

2nd Prize – ₦150,000

3rd Prize – ₦100,000

Consolation Prize – ₦25,000 each for 4th and 5th best entrants

NB: the top 100 entrants will each receive a certificate of excellence and complimentary copy of the NSPP anthology which features their works.

Who is eligible?

All Nigerian undergraduates studying in a recognized tertiary institution in Nigeria and the diaspora.

Guidelines for submission

Submissions are to be made here, with strict adherence to the instructions thereon.

  • Poems must be original intellectual property of the entrants.
  • An entrant is entitled to a single entry of 30 lines maximum.
  • No fixed themes. Entrants can write on any relevant theme.
  • Entries submitted must be previously unpublished. A submission discovered to have defaulted on this rule will be automatically voided.
  • All entrants are expected to purchase a minimum of one of the four NSPP anthologies uploaded on the submission portal.
  • Under no condition will the judges’ unanimous decisions be challenged.
  • Entering for the contest gives PIN automatic right to make use of entries as deemed appropriate.
  • Entries must be written in English. Native terminologies must be translated in English as footnotes.
  • Entrants should subscribe to for regular updates.
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When is the deadline for submission?

March 31st, 2020

 

Tertiary institutions that have hosted the NSPP Awards include: University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu and Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa. Will yours be next?

Past winners of the NSPP

Yearly, thousands of poets strive for the grand prize but only few can be chosen. Here are the lucky few from 2016 till 2019: Noah Oladele (Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; 2016), Bakre Fadil Adedamola (University of Ibadan; 2017), Godstime Tamunofiri Iberiyenari (Niger Delta University, Wilberforce Island, Yenagoa; 2018) and Ogugua Micah Okoye (Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu; 2019).

Let’s hope you are next.😉

Nigerian Students Poetry Prize

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