UK-Based Poet Salmah Salam Oiza Wins Africa Laureate Award for Best Poetry Collection

By Suleiman Abdulmumin

The UK-based poet Salmah Salam Oiza has been selected as the Winner of the Best Poetry Collection for the prestigious Africa Laureate Awards 2026. The Africa Laureate Awards is a prominent platform for the celebration of literary excellence across the continent and the broader African Diaspora.

The poetry collection by Salmah Salam Oiza, which won the coveted title for the Best Poetry Collection, is entitled ‘Foreign in a Long-Familiar Leap Year’. This poetry collection has been chosen for its originality and emotional depth.

Furthermore, the poetry collection has been selected for its long-lasting relevance and for standing out among other entries for its craftsmanship and ability to engage the reader with its thoughtful poetic expression.

The prestigious award to Salmah Salam Oiza is given by The Africa Laureate Awards (TALA), a body established to highlight literary excellence and significant contributions to the literary world. According to the citation for the award, the poetry collection by Salmah Salam Oiza is characterized by “originality, care, and lasting relevance—a hallmark of the poetry collection in the realm of contemporary poetry.”

This selection places Salmah Salam Oiza among a growing list of writers who continue to shape the world of modern literature. With this award to Salmah Salam Oiza for the poetry collection ‘Foreign in a Long-Familiar Leap Year’, the work is now recognized as one of the prominent poetry collections celebrated during the TALA 2026 Awards.