800 Young NigerianS Enter 2026 Arewa Poet of the Year Media Competition

Over 800 young Nigerian poets from the 19 northern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have entered the 2026 MPS Media Poetry Challenge, competing for the coveted Arewa Poet of the Year title.
The convener of the MPS Media Poetry Challenge and founder/chief executive officer of MPS Media, Prof. Ahmed Adamu, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday.

She described the overwhelming response as a reflection of the initiative’s growing popularity and impact across Northern Nigeria.

Adamu said the second edition builds on the success of the maiden competition held in Katsina in 2025, which featured over 200 poetry performances and attracted over 40 million digital views across more than 40 countries.

He said many participants from the inaugural edition had become public speakers, mentors, content creators, peace ambassadors and role models in their communities.

“Today, the competition has reached audiences in more than 40 countries, transforming unknown young talents into widely recognised personalities while inspiring thousands of young people to embrace creativity, confidence, leadership and positive storytelling,” he said.

For the first time, the 2026 edition will be televised, a development expected to expand the competition’s reach and impact significantly.

The event will be broadcast on Liberty TV, Farin Wata TV and Saira Movies TV. It is also receiving support from strategic partners, including the Wunti Al-Khair Foundation as co-sponsor, Syda Tech Nigeria as the official voting partner and the Abu Arief Community Development Foundation as the official transport partner for contestants from Yobe State.

The competition has also expanded into a regional format covering all 19 northern states and the FCT, with contestants set to compete in three zonal stages before the regional finals in Abuja.

According to the timetable released by the organisers, the North-East zonal competition will be hosted in Bauchi State from 8 August to 15, 2026. The North-West zonal stage will be held at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua Hall in Kaduna from 12 September to 18, while the North-Central zonal competition will take place in Nasarawa State in October.

The regional quarter-finals, semi-finals and grand finale are scheduled for November in Abuja, where the next Arewa Poet of the Year will be crowned.

Contestants in each zonal competition will progress through three stages Blind Auditions, Battle Round and Knockout Stage with successful participants advancing to the regional finals.

Prof. Adamu said the MPS Media Poetry Challenge has evolved into one of Northern Nigeria’s leading platforms for youth empowerment and creative expression.

He explained that beyond discovering talented poets, the initiative promotes peace, unity and social cohesion, nurtures emerging literary talents, preserves and celebrates the cultural heritage of Arewa, encourages ethical leadership and responsible citizenship, amplifies the voices of young people on issues affecting their communities, builds confidence, communication and creative skills, and creates opportunities within the creative economy.