The Brigitte Poirson Literature Prize (BPLP) has announced its shortlist for the 2025 edition of the prize, following a competitive selection process that considered poetry and short fiction submissions from across Africa and the diaspora.
Named in honour of French poet, editor, and literary patron Brigitte Poirson, the BPLP continues its commitment to recognising outstanding scholarly achievement in poetry and short fiction.
Shortlisted Poems
- The Tailor’s Gospel – Elizabeth Abosede Akindutire
- Field Notes on Birth & Oblivion – Blessing Omeiza Ojo
- Post-Apocalypse – Pacella Chukwuma-Eke
- The Bulbul & the Geometry of Dawn – Abubakar Ibrahim
- Meet Me at the Park – Joy Nwamaka Chime
- What the Earth Told Me in Silence – Nathan Felix
- The Hands That Painted the Sky – Olukitibi Elizabeth Atilola
- How Do I Glorify My Country When It Runs the Faces of Razor Blades on My Skin? – Godwin Obaji
- The River Swallows the Open Ground – Adamu Danjuma Abubakar
- The Thin Line Between a Heartbeat & the Fragile Hands of Machines – Felix Eshiet
Shortlisted Short Stories
- “CTRL Z” – Ikechukwu Henry
- “Hostage Song” – Daniel Echezona
- “A Dark Quinquennial” – Ibrahim Oga
- “An Ehi Speaks” – Adesuwa Agbonile
- “The Weight of Our Steps” – Christian Emecheta
The winners of the 2025 Brigitte Poirson Literature Prize will be announced on Saturday, 10 January 2026. The prize carries a total cash award of $400, with $200 awarded in each category.
All shortlisted poems and short stories will be published in the BPLP 2025 Anthology. The anthology will also feature some selected longlisted works, including the following poems: Innocence by Grace Ezinne Ajunwa; Autopsy of a Deceased Country by Adebola Temitayo Ogunyemi; This Is Not Just a Country by Segun Adesoro; Zhinyim (Stay for Me) by Izaza Izeowayi; The Song of Nature by Iyanuoluwa Oni; I Want to Run Away from My Country by Michael Agunbiade; Soul on the Edge by Ruth Dipura; The Deep of Relativity by Oladimeji Adam Adedayo; Mother in the Mirror by Halimah Adisa; and The Rainmaker’s Daughter by Oladoyin Ayodeji Victor.
Selected longlisted short stories to be included are: “Feed Us Your Heart” by Jane Udochi; “The Gods Are Wise” by John Ebut; “The Season of Migration to the North” by Daniel Yohanna; “Woman” by Abdulrahman M. Abu-Yaman; and “(In/Re)Surrection” by Chimezie Okoro.
Congratulations to all shortlisted writers.
