It is for poets born in Africa, or who are nationals of an African country, or whose parents are African, and who have not yet had a full-length poetry book published (this includes self-published books if they were sold online, in stores, or at readings. Writers who have edited and published an anthology or a similar collection of other writers’ work remain eligible). Manuscripts have to be at least 50 pages long. Only poems written in English can be considered, but they accept poems in translation too. If the winning work is translated, a percentage of the prize money is awarded to the translator. Apart from a cash prize, the winner also gets publication from the University of Nebraska Press.
Value: $1,000
Deadline: 1 December 2025
Open for: African poets, for a debut poetry book (see guidelines)
Details here and here (see the relevant category).
(See all the African Poetry Book Fund contests here.)

Deadline: December 1st, 2025