Summary of Impact with the Sprinng Women Authors Prize (SWAP)

With a sponsor’s support, we successfully facilitated 3 years (2020 - 2022) of our innovative Sprinng Women Authors Prize, established to increase the visibility of female Nigerian writers by promoting their books. We awarded ₦1,000,000 to 4 winners, spent on purchasing and delivering 148 copies of their books. Notably, our first winner in Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia went ahead to win the 2021 NNLG Prize of $100,000 for her SWAP-winning book, The Son of The House.

Updates on our Sprinng Women Authors Prize

While we recognize the importance of supporting and promoting female Nigerian authors, we have decided to pause from 2023 until further notice to reassess our approach and ensure we continue providing the best possible opportunities for writers and authors. We remain committed to our mission of uplifting and amplifying the voices of talented female Nigerian authors. We believe in the power of literature to inspire, educate, and entertain, and we are dedicated to creating platforms and opportunities that showcase their work.

Application Period and Summary

Application for the Sprinng Women Authors Prize is open from July 1 - Sept 30.

The Sprinng Women Authors Prize (#SWAPng) ​will select two Female Nigerian Authors who have published full-length books in print and invest N300,000 each in purchasing, distributing, and marketing print copies of their books nationwide through our sister literary websites and events whom we collaborate with.​ ​We are simply looking for female Nigerian authors who have published excellent books that deserve to be promoted and supported. Only two female Nigerian authors will be selected annually for this prize. However, we will use the opportunity to promote other select authors through interviews, book reviews, newsletter promotions, and collaborations to increase their visibility in the Nigerian literary sphere.

Eligibility

  • The applicant must be a female Nigerian author between the ages of 21 and 45.

  • Applicants can only submit one book for nomination in the select genres listed in our application.

  • Eligible genres: Only Poetry (Collection of poetry or prose poems), fiction (novels, collection of short stories), and nonfiction (memoirs and essays) are eligible for application. We are NOT ACCEPTING children's books, plays, or drama for this prize.

  • ​The nominated book can be of any theme.

  • The nominated book can be self-published or released by a publisher between 2015 and September 2023.

  • The book nominated must be available in print for purchase in Nigeria.

  • There is no region-eligibility requirement for the author - meaning that the author can be a Nigerian currently residing outside the country.

  • Previous finalists and semi-finalists cannot reapply.

  • We require a self-nomination process, meaning that prospective applicants will complete the application and nominate themselves.

Important Dates

  • July 1: Applications for the Sprinng Women Authors Prize opens

  • August: Judges will be announced

  • September 30: Applications for the Sprinng Women Authors Prize closes

  • October to December: Applications will be reviewed 

  • December 15-30: ​Semi-finalists and prize winners will be announced

  • January - March: Authors books will be distributed

Why a Women Authors Prize at Sprinng?

While there has been a definite increase in Nigeria's literary engagement within the past decade, especially with the use of technology, there are still improvements to be made. Sprinng intends to encourage and equip developing Nigerian writers. However, in doing so, through submissions for publications and contests, as well as participation in our writing fellowship, we have observed a lack of women involvement and visibility. When we looked outwardly, observing the works of sister Nigerian literary websites and recognitions, we found strong evidence and reports confirming our conclusions.

Contact Info

For all inquiries about the prize, donations, and collaborations, please send an email to Contact@Sprinng.org, and we will respond within 48 hours. All updates and additional announcements will be posted on the Sprinng website: www.sprinng.org