Organisers of the Nigerian Writer Awards has released its 2016 list of most influential Nigerian writers. This follows series of interviews, reviews, nominations online and offline, thousands of names which the organisers had received on Nigerian writers under 40 making change, impacting lives with their writing, earning national and global achievements in the year under review (May 2015- October 2016).
And now, here is the list in no particular order:
1. ABIMBOLA DARE – Faith-based writer.
2. ABUBAKAR ADAM IBRAHIM (37)- Novelist
3. ADAEZE IBECHUKWU- Literary Blogger
4. ADAOBI TRICIA NWAUBANI (40)-Author, I do not come by chance
5. ADEKUNLE GOLD- Song Writer
6. ADRIAN IGONIBO BARRETT (37)- Novelist
7. AINEHI EDORO- Literary blogger. Curator, brittlepaper.com
8. ALLI MUTIAT OMONIYI-Entertainment Writer
9. AMARA NICOLE OKOLO- Novelist
10. AMANDA EPE- Author, Fly Girl
11. A?A- (34) Song Writer
12. ARUKAINO UMUKORO- Award winning Journalist.
13. AYODELE OLORUNFUNMI SOGUNRO-Author, Everything in Nigeria is going to Kill You.
14. AYOBAMI HANIF MOHAMMED- Author-The Last Days at Forcados High School
15. AUGUSTINA ARMSTRONG-OGBONNA- Journalist
16. AYOBAMI ADEBAYO-Author, Stay with Me
17. BRYMO (30) Song Writer.
18. BOLA AGBAJE (35)- Script Writer
19. CHIMAMANDA NGOZI ADICHIE (39)- Novelist
20. CHIDERA NNEOMA OKOLIE (23)- Novelist
21. CHIBUNDU ONUZO (25)- Novelist
22. CHIGOZIE OBIOMA (30)- Novelist
23. CHUDE JIDEONWO (31)-Media Entrepreneur
24. CHINONYE J. CHIDOLUE – CEO, PEREGRINE READS
25. CHIOMA IWUNZE-IBIAM- Literary Blogger
26. CHINELO OKPARANTA- Author, Happiness Like Water
27. COBHAMS ASUQUO (35) – Song Writer
28. DARE ART ALADE – Song Writer
29. DAMI AJAYI
30. DARASEN RICHARDS – Script Writer
31. DIKE CHUKWUMERIJE- Poet
32. EFE PAUL(37) – Poet
33. EKETI AIME ETTE – Creative writer
34. ELNATHAN JOHN (34)- Novelist
35. EMMANUEL OGALA- Journalist
36. EMMANUEL IDUMA
37. EMEH ACHANGA (31)- Blogger
38. ENIGMATIC OLUMIDE BISIRIYU – Poet
39. ESTHER IJEWERE- KALEJAIYE (32)- Author, Breaking the Silence
40. FUNKE OSAE-BROWN- Journalist
41. FEMI ASU – Journalist
42. GEORGE AKPAYEN- SPORTS WRITER
43. GERALDINE IHEME (31)- Novelist
44. GIMBA KAKANDA- Socio-political essayist,
45. GILBERT ALASA – Journalist
46. GRACIANO ENWEREN – Poet
47. HELEN OYEYEMI (32)- Novelist
48. IBITOLA OJOYE-ADEBAYO – Romance Writer
49. IRENOSEN OKOJIE- Author, Butterfly Fish
50. IFESINACHI O. OKPAGU– Author/Screen Writer
51. IQUO DIANA EKE (36)- Poet/Author
52. JAPHETH OMOJUWA (32) – Journalist/Activist
53. JENNIFER EHIDIAMEN – Journalist/Poet
54. JOY ISI BEWAJI – Author/Editor
55. JUMOKE VERISSIMO (37)- Poet
56. KENECHI UZOR
57. KIRU TAYE- Romance Writer
58. KEHINDE AJOSE- Award Winning Jounalist
59. KEMI FILANI -Blogger
60. KOREDE BELLO (20)- Song Writer
61. KUKOGHO IRUESIRI SAMSON (32)- Poet
62. LAILA IJEOMA OBIAGWU (32) -Blogger
63. LINDA IKEJI (36) -Blogger
64. MYNE WHITEMAN (39)- Romance Writer
65. NNEDIMMA JANE KALU (Scriptwriter /short story writer)
66. ONYEKA NWELUE (28)- Novelist/Cultural Entrepreneur
67. OBINNA UDENWE (28)- Novelist
68. ONO BELLO- Blogger
69. OKECHUKWU OFILI – Motivational Writer
70. OLAMIDE (27)- Indigenous Song writer
71. OLUMIDE HOLLOWAY- Poet
72. ROTIMI BABATUNDE- Playwright
73. SALLY KENNETH DADZIE- Author/Professional Editor
74. SAMUEL OLUWAGBEMI AHMADU- Sports Writer
75. SAMSON ADEYEMI- Author, Lessons from my Father
76. SEYE KUYINU: – Author- Things I wanted to tell you in other words
77. SEUN AKIOYE – Multi-award winning Journalist
78. STELLA DIMOKO KORKUS- Blogger
79. SHINA OLUDARE CHARLES (27)– Sports Writer
80. SIMI (28)- Song Writer
81. SOJI COLE- Author, Maybe Tomorrow
82. TOSIN AJIBADE (29)- Blogger
83. TOYOSI OGUNSEYE- Multi-award winning Journalist
84. TOLUWANI ENIOLA- Journalist
85. TOLU OGUNLESI (34)- Journalist
86. TOLU’ AKINYEMI- Poet
87. TOMI ADESINA- Award winning Playwright
88. TIMI DAKOLO (35)- Song Writer
89. TITILOPE SONUGA – Poet
90. TOPE FOLARIN- (35)
91. TAIYE SELASI (37)- Author, Ghana Must Go
92. TOLULOPE POPOOLA- Romance Writer
93. UKAMAKA OLISAKWE (34)- Short Story/Screen Writer
94. UGOCHI ORITSEJOLOMISAN- Faith based writer
95. UNOMA NWANKWOR – Romance/Faith-based writer
96. UCHE EZE PEDRO (32) –Blogger
97. UDUAK ISONG OGUAMANAM – Award-winning Script writer
98. UZODINMA IWEALA (34)- Novelist
99. WALE AJETUNMOBI- Award winning Journalist
100. WANA WANA UDOBANG
These writer’s profile is available on the NWA’s website