Quramo Publishing Ltd. (QPL) is now accepting entries for the 2026 edition of the Quramo Writers’ Prize (QWP), marking the tenth year of the annual competition.
The prize invites unpublished Nigerian and other African writers to submit a complete work of fiction prose written in English. Submissions are open to writers residing within and outside the continent. An African writer is defined as a national of an African country, with at least one parent who is African by birth or nationality.
The winner will receive a cash prize and a publishing deal with Quramo Publishing. Shortlisted writers will receive manuscript feedback, publishing deal consideration, a creative writing workshop, and other prizes. Longlisted entrants will receive creative writing masterclasses and additional prizes.
Submission Guidelines:
- Eligibility is limited to unpublished writers aged 18 and above.
- Writers who have previously published a full-length novel or short story collection — whether traditionally, independently, self-published, or electronically — are not eligible.
- Short story collections, plays, and poetry manuscripts will not be considered.
- Manuscripts must be original, unpublished works of fiction prose with a minimum of 50,000 words.
- Submissions must include a one-page synopsis and a short biography of no more than 100 words written in the third person.
- Entrants are also required to provide their full legal name, physical address, email address, phone number, and social media profiles (Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn).
- All manuscripts must be submitted in MS Word format, using Times New Roman font, size 12, double line spacing, left justified, with page numbers included.
- Identifying information must not appear on the manuscript itself.
- Manuscripts entered into other competitions running concurrently are not eligible, and previous submissions to the Quramo Writers’ Prize cannot be reconsidered.
- To submit your entry, click here.
The winner will work with Quramo’s editorial team toward publication and will fully participate in the book’s promotion. Quramo Publishing retains the right of first refusal for the winner’s second book and reserves the right not to award the prize if no manuscript meets its standards.
The Quramo Writers’ Prize was established in 2017 to provide a platform for emerging African writers. The inaugural winner, Samuel Monye, later saw his novel Give Us Each Day longlisted for the Nigeria Prize for Literature in 2021. The most recent winner, Hubaidat Ishola, won with her manuscript What Breaks, What Binds, which is currently under development for publication.
Submissions close on 31 May 2026.
