ANA ANNOUNCES NEW LITERARY AWARD: ANA/AWELE ILUSANMI BOOK PROMOTION AWARD WITH ₦300,000 SUPPORT FOR AUTHORS

The Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) has announced the introduction of a new literary initiative, the ANA/Awele Ilusanmi Book Promotion Award, aimed at strengthening the reward system for Nigerian writers and enhancing the visibility of their works.

This development was disclosed in an official press statement jointly issued by the ANA President, Dr. Usman Oladipo Akanbi, and the General Secretary, Dame Joan Oji, PhD who described the award as a significant milestone in the association’s commitment to literary excellence and author support.

According to the statement, the award is made possible through the generosity of the Awele Ilusanmi Foundation, which has pledged to award the sum of ₦100,000 to each winner of the three major ANA Award categories: Fiction, Drama, and Poetry.

In total, the foundation’s contribution amounts to ₦300,000 for the 2026 edition, representing a strategic effort to enhance the overall value of the ANA Awards while encouraging higher standards of creativity and productivity among Nigerian writers.

Beyond the monetary reward, winners of the ANA Awards will also benefit from structured support in book promotion and distribution, an intervention designed to address one of the most pressing challenges faced by authors in the Nigerian literary ecosystem.

The benefactor, Dr. Awele Ilusanmi (H.C, FANA, FMIMPS), is a distinguished Fellow of ANA whose contributions to the growth of the literary community have earned her widespread recognition both locally and internationally.

An accomplished author and a recipient of the Connect Nigeria Award, Dr. Ilusanmi has been celebrated for her sustained support and impactful contributions to the Nigerian literary space, particularly in the area of book marketing and author empowerment.

She has also shared her expertise on prominent platforms, including as a speaker at the 2019 edition of the Connect Nigeria Writers' Conference, where she addressed the topic “Successful Book Marketing,” and as a panelist at the Lagos Books and Art Festival 2023, where she spoke on “Winning with Book Publishing and Marketing.”

Driven by a passion to see authors succeed, Dr. Ilusanmi has dedicated her career to equipping writers with practical tools for navigating the publishing landscape, authoring several books focused on marketing strategies and sustainable literary success.

She is the President of the Literary Authors Cooperative Multipurpose Society of Nigeria and the Founder of Book Marketing Class Africa, platforms through which she continues to mentor and empower writers across Africa.

Dr. Ilusanmi is also the author of notable works including Book Marketing Strategies That Work, Comforting Arms, Launch Money, and Profitable Pages.

© ANA Media Team