The Etisalat Prize for Literature is a Pan African prize that celebrates debut African writers of published fiction. The recently concluded Etisalat Prize for Literature award ceremony was held on 20 May 2017 in Lagos, where Jowhor Ile emerged the winner for his debut novel, And After Many Days. Jowhor is the first Nigerian to win the Prize, which was launched in 2013. Past winners include the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Fiston Mwanza Mujila (2015), South Africa’s Songeziwe Mahlangu (2014) and Zimbabwe’s NoViolet Bulawayo (2013).
Following the successful completion of the fourth edition of its flagship pan-African literary prize, Nigeria’s most innovative telecommunications company, Etisalat, has announced a call for entries for the 2018 Etisalat Prize for Literature.
The Etisalat Prize for Literature is the first pan-African literary prize that celebrates African writers of a debut published book of fiction.
Prize Profile
The winner receives £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, and an Etisalat-sponsored fellowship at the University of East Anglia, where he or she will be mentored by Professor Giles Foden, author of The Last King of Scotland'. The winner and the two runners-up also participate in a multi-city book tour sponsored by Etisalat. Etisalat purchases 1,000 copies of each of the shortlisted titles for distribution to schools, libraries and book clubs across the African continent.
Alongside the Prize for Literature is the Flash Fiction Award, an online-based competition open to all African writers of unpublished short stories of no more than 300 words. The winner of the Flash Fiction Award receives £1,000 and a high-end device, while the two runners-up for the Flash Fiction Award receive £500 each in addition to high-end devices.
Criteria for Entry
- Submissions will only be accepted from publishing houses
- All books entered should have a registered ISBN number or equivalent.
- Entries by new writers must be published within the last 24 months before submission
- Entries for fiction books will be submitted by publishers who have published a minimum of three (3) authors.
- Publisher should have been a registered business (with certificate of incorporation as a publisher) for minimum of three years
- Each publisher will be allowed to enter a maximum of three (3) books – however books maybe called in by the judges.
- Each entry will be required to be accompanied by Seven (7) copies of the book being entered along with acceptance of publicity terms.
- The Etisalat Prize for Literature is not open to employees of any organisation under Emirates Telecommunications Corporation with branded trade name Etisalat.
Application Closing Date
18th September, 2017.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should Fill and Download (Print) an Application form, the application form should be submitted along with seven (7) copies of the published book to the address below:
Etisalat Office,
6th Floor, Building 2,
Oriental Office Building 3,
Lekki Road - Victoria Island,
Lagos State.
Click here to Fill and Download (print) the Application Form
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