Listen to story here
The Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), in partnership with Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), has showcased the 11 poets longlisted for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature, reinforcing efforts to promote reading culture, literary excellence and public engagement with Nigerian authors.
The event, which held at the annual CORA Book Party in Lagos shortly after the release of the longlist, gave the selected poets an opportunity to present their works, read excerpts and engage with readers, critics, publishers, journalists, students and other stakeholders through discussions and literary conversations.
The longlist was selected by the Prize’s panel of judges from 223 poetry entries submitted following the February call for entries. It marks a key stage in the competition ahead of the shortlist and the announcement of the winner later this year.
Speaking at the event, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the Book Party demonstrates the importance of taking literature beyond the pages of books and into public discourse.
She said the Nigeria Prize for Literature was created to reward outstanding writing while strengthening Nigeria’s reading culture, critical thinking and creative expression.
According to Horsfall, the 223 entries received for the 2026 poetry cycle reflect the vibrancy of Nigerian poetry and the confidence writers continue to place in the NLNG-sponsored prize.
CORA Secretary-General, Toyin Akinosho, described the Book Party as a unique platform that enables direct interaction between authors and readers before the eventual announcement of the winner.
He commended NLNG for its sustained investment in Nigeria’s literary ecosystem, noting that the annual event has become a significant intervention in promoting books, authors and reading culture.
“We are here because a profitable Nigerian gas company decided that part of its profit should support the Nigerian reading space,” Akinosho said, thanking NLNG for sustaining the yearly literary gathering.
He added that the CORA Book Party remains distinctive among literary awards because it allows longlisted authors to publicly discuss the inspiration behind their works before the final prize announcement.
Now in its 22nd year, The Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by NLNG, rotates annually among Prose Fiction, Poetry, Drama and Children’s Literature. The 2026 edition, dedicated to Poetry, will culminate in the announcement of the winner in October.
