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The ZODML Poetry Prize 2026

 

Theme

Stories We Carry

 

Submit Your Poem

 
2026 Theme Stories We Carry
🏆 2025 Winner  ·  Ogoke Nzubechukwu Victoria  ·  YABATECH

The ZODML Poetry Prize 2026

Meet last year's
winner. Now it's your turn.

Ogoke won with Harvest Never Reach in Pidgin English. The 2026 theme is Stories We Carry — what's yours?

Submit Your Poem

 
2026 Theme Stories We Carry
📅 Submissions Open  ·  Deadline: 15 August 2026

The ZODML Poetry Prize 2026

Your voice deserves
to be heard.

₦1,200,000 in cash prizes. Free to enter. Open to all students in Nigerian public tertiary institutions.

Submit Your Poem

 
2026 Theme Stories We Carry
🌍 4,592+ Poems  ·  36 States  ·  140 Institutions in 2025

The ZODML Poetry Prize 2026

Nigeria's biggest
student poetry prize.

Three years. Four thousand voices. One movement celebrating Nigeria's brightest young poets.

Submit Your Poem

 
2026 Theme Stories We Carry
✍️ Theme 2026  ·  Stories We Carry

The ZODML Poetry Prize 2026

What story do
you carry?

Write about memory, identity, heritage, and lived experience. Tell the story only you can tell.

Submit Your Poem

1 / 5

OpenPublic tertiary institutions
2026Prize year
₦1,200,000Cash awards
FreeTo enter

Explore

Everything You Need to Know

About the ZODML Poetry Prize

Overview

About the ZODML Poetry Prize

Discover the mission, vision, and story behind Nigeria's premier poetry competition for public tertiary institutions.

Read more 

Who Can Participate

Eligibility

Who Can Participate?

Open to students enrolled in Nigeria's public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. Free to enter.

Read more 

Submission Guidelines

Guidelines

Submission Guidelines

Everything you need to know about formatting, word limits, themes, and how to submit your poem correctly.

Read more 

How We Judge

Judging

How We Judge

A transparent look at our judging criteria, panel of experts, and the standards of excellence we uphold.

Read more 

Prizes

Cash Awards

₦1,200,000 Total cash awards  ·  Free to enter

Meet the Judges

Panel

?

Coming Soon

Our panel of judges will be announced shortly

Voices from the Past

History

2023

2023

791Submissions
94Institutions
34States
2024

2024

1,445Submissions
96Institutions
35States
2025

2025

2,356Submissions
140Institutions
36+FCTStates

FAQs

Help

Who is the ZODML Poetry Prize for?

The contest is for students in public tertiary institutions (undergraduate and postgraduate) in Nigeria.

How can I participate in the ZODML Poetry Prize?

Read the rules carefully and submit your poem on this site.

Are there any specific themes or topics for the contest?

Yes, the 2026 theme is Stories We Carry.

Is there a deadline for the submission of poems?

Yes, the deadline for submission of poems is midnight, 15 August 2026.

How are the winners selected?

Winners are selected anonymously by a panel of three judges.