Apply Now: ZODML Launches ₦500K Poetry Prize for Students

Zaccheus Onumba Dibiaezue Memorial Libraries (ZODML) has officially opened entries for its 2025 Poetry Prize, offering Nigerian students in public tertiary institutions a chance to win up to ₦500,000 for original poetry centered on the theme “Seeds of Tomorrow.”

The annual competition is open to undergraduates and postgraduates currently enrolled in Nigerian public universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education. With a focus on amplifying young voices and encouraging creative engagement with national and global issues, ZODML invites both seasoned and emerging poets to participate.

Submission Guidelines

• The competition is open only to students currently enrolled in Nigerian public tertiary institutions.

• Entries must focus on the theme “Seeds of Tomorrow.”

• Only one poem may be submitted per entrant.

• Poems must be no longer than 50 lines (excluding the title), typed in Times New Roman, 12-point font.

• Submissions may be written in English or any Nigerian language; non-English entries must include an English translation.

• Entries must be the original work of the author. AI-generated works are not accepted.

• Poems must be previously unpublished and must not have won or been shortlisted in other competitions.

• The deadline for submission is midnight on 31 August 2025.

• Finalists will be contacted via email and WhatsApp and required to submit a brief biography and a recent photograph.

• While copyright remains with the author, ZODML reserves the right to publish or broadcast the top 10 poems. External use of these works within a year of January 2026 must be approved by ZODML.

All entries must be submitted through the official submission portal. Submissions will receive automatic confirmation, but no further verification will be provided by phone or email.

Judging Criteria

A panel of three independent judges will evaluate all entries anonymously, assessing based on:

• Originality and creativity

• Language and stylistic command

• Emotional depth and resonance

• Clarity and relevance to the theme

Prizes

• 1st Prize: ₦500,000 + medal + trophy for the poet’s institution

• 2nd Prize: ₦300,000 + medal

• 3rd Prize: ₦200,000 + medal

• Top 10 Finalists: Certificate + inclusion in the ZODML Poetry Anthology

The ZODML Poetry Prize continues to serve as a platform for young Nigerians to imagine and articulate the future through words—one line at a time.

Interested students are encouraged to submit their poems here and review the full guidelines before entering.