2026 NPL Longlist of 11

Longlist of 11… The Battle Continues

The 11 poetry collections on the 2026 longlist of The Nigeria Prize for Literature represent some of the finest contemporary poetic voices in Nigeria and beyond. Selected from 223 submissions, these works explore history, identity, resilience, culture, and the human condition with remarkable depth and originality.

Distinguished by lyrical intensity, rich imagery, symbolic depth, and innovative artistry, the collections draw inspiration from folklore, oral traditions, cultural memory, and contemporary realities.

• Adult Love by Tanure Ojaide
• Bakandimiya by Saddiq Dzukogi
• Black Passport by Paul Akpomuje
• 2000 Blacks by Ajibola Tolase
• Ceremony of The Nameless by Theresa Lola
• Corpus: Animistic Verses by Ayo Oyeku
• Floral’s Love Colony by Tares Oburumu
• The Origin of Wounds by Malik Gbolahan
• The Years of Blood by Adedayo Agarau
• Unbind Me Now by James Ugwu Eze
• Why Does God Need a Gun by Ogaga Ifowodo