The Dele-Balogun Prize for Flash Fiction has been established to celebrate and reward an often-overlooked form of creative writing that feels more urgent than ever in today’s world.

Founded by a Nigerian writer and Creative Director, Toheeb Dele-Balogun, the prize seeks to recognise exceptional flash fiction by writers of African descent across the world. With a cash award of N500,000, publication, and mentorship opportunities with established writers and creatives, the prize offers a platform for emerging voices to be heard and supported.

The 2025 theme of the event, “The Stories We’re Not Supposed to Tell,” calls for bold, truthful, and emotionally charged stories that challenge silence, social expectations, and cultural restraint.

Writers are invited to submit original works of not more than 200 words that capture the essence of our complex realities.According to the organisers, entries close on December 1, 2025 and submissions should be made online to [email protected] or Instagram.com/theburntstories.

Also, entries are open to writers of African descent, regardless of where they live and shortlisted writers will receive mentorship and sponsorship opportunities.

Toheeb Dele-Balogun, while speaking on the motivation behind the prize, said: “Times have changed. We live in the most distracted era ever, so literature as we know it, needs to evolve as well to keep performing its function in shaping the consciousness of society at large. I am writing for the distracted generation, and I want to encourage others to do so too with this prize.”