A nationwide literary competition has been announced to inspire young Nigerians to read, dream, and discover their potential. The first edition of ‘The Boy Who Found Gold National Competition’, inspired by the newly released novel, The Boy Who Found Gold, by Caleb Onyeabor, will run from September 30 to December 31, 2025, offering participants the chance to win ₦1,000,000 and other exciting prizes.

The competition is designed to promote a strong reading culture while encouraging ambition and hope among young people across the country. It is open to students and youths between the ages of 15 and 35, who can participate by obtaining a copy of the book from participating bookshops and Non- governmental organisations (NGOs) nationwide.

Speaking on the initiative, Billy Nwoye explained that the competition was born from a desire to use storytelling as a tool for inspiration.

According to him, the Caleb Onyeabor’s novel is not just an African story of ambition, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams, but also a call to action for young people to find their own “gold” in life and this is why the competition is organised around the book.

The initiative is further supported by a network of bookshops and NGOs across Nigeria that are committed to fostering literacy, creativity, and youth development. These partners will serve as official outlets for registration points for the competition, ensuring that participation reaches communities at every level.

Mrs. Abiodun Adigun of Hanifar Dynamic Limited explained that their support for the initiative stems from a deep belief in its broader impact.

According to her, beyond promoting a strong reading culture and critical thinking among young people, the competition is likely to unearth a winner from a humble background—youths from underprivileged or middle-class families, as well as bright young minds in underserved communities.

She actually said in short that she believes that the winner is going to be coming from a family that really needs the money.
For more information on how to participate and to view the full list of bookshops and NGOs involved, visit the website: www.theboywhofoundgoldbook.com