Four Nigerian Writers Shortlisted for 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize
Four Nigerian writers—Hussani Abdulrahim, Oluwatoke Adejoye, Dawn Immanuel and Ola W. Halim—have been shortlisted for the 2026 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, one of the world’s most competitive literary awards. Their works Arewa Girls, New Things, The God under the Bed and Shock Me I Shock You were chosen from a 25-member shortlist drawn from 14 countries across the Commonwealth. The prize attracted 7,806 entries from 54 Commonwealth nations, with the overall shortlist comprising 11 men and 14 women aged between 25 and 68. The Nigerian writers make up four of the seven African finalists, alongside entries from Ghana, South Africa and Kenya.
This achievement spotlights Nigeria’s growing influence in contemporary African literature and offers the writers international recognition, potential publishing opportunities and a boost to their careers. It also signals to aspiring Nigerian writers that global platforms are accessible, encouraging more submissions to prestigious competitions.
Regional winners will be announced on 13 May 2026, with the overall winner revealed in late June. The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best unpublished short fiction from the organisation’s 56 member countries and accepts entries in multiple languages. Aspiring writers should note the submission window for next year’s prize typically opens mid-year; they can prepare their unpublished short stories now and monitor the Commonwealth Foundation’s website for official guidelines.