Dear Writer,

The Republic is now accepting pitches for our February–April 2026 issue, in which researchers, storytellers, photographers, journalists, illustrators and writers will critically explore ‘On Nigeria’, a panoramic reflection on the stories, histories, tensions, possibilities and lived realities that define Africa’s most populous country. This edition seeks to cut through clichés, binaries and divides, presenting Nigeria not as a monolith but as a complex, evolving nation shaped by its people’s resilience, contradictions, creativity and aspirations.

From culture to politics, economy to identity, environment to everyday life, On Nigeria will examine how historical forces, present pressures and emerging futures intersect. Nigeria is a place of diversity and ingenuity, but also a site of interesting histories and fascinating current occurrences. We are interested in the layered, the unexpected and the under-explored, the stories that reveal who Nigerians are, what Nigeria is becoming, and how these stories continue to shape its trajectory. We seek a range of stories: from those that evoke nostalgic memories (e.g. what happened to Kafanchan’s railways?), and those that investigate Nigeria’s unique quirks (why is St. Louis sugar not advertised yet so popular?), to stories that can unite Nigerians towards a shared vision of a progressive future (what should it mean to be Nigerian? if ethnic inequality was a colonial invention, how can we move beyond it?).

We are looking for stories (analysis, reportage, deep dives and expert opinion), interviews, data visualizations, photographs and illustrations that explore:

• The cultural, political and economic forces shaping contemporary Nigeria.
• Histories of migration, identity, religion and ethnicity and how they inform today’s realities.
• Urbanization and rural life.
• Governance, federalism, insecurity, justice, and the lived experience of state institutions.
• Climate, environment, agriculture and the politics of resource management.
• Culture, youth movements, creativity, language, food, media and everyday Nigerian life.
• Inequality, gender, class, generational divides and social mobility.
• Nigeria in the world: diaspora, regional influence, geopolitics and globalization.
• Stories/profiles of people and communities questioning, redefining or expanding what it means it be Nigerian
• The origins, evolution and/or wider cultural impacts of known/unknown myths, urban legends and folklore.
• Alternative culture in under-reported places (e.g. rave culture in northern Nigeria)

We have created a database of sample stories we would like to read here. Please go through it and identify the story you want to tell. If you have other stories not listed, you can also send a pitch. If this excites you, please send a three-paragraph synopsis/pitch to editors@republic.com.ng. Your email title should read: ‘On Nigeria’. Indicate the title of your story in the body of the email and include how you plan to approach your exploration of the story, the people you will interview, places you will visit if necessary, and other information you consider relevant. All stories must be original reporting. The deadline for pitch submissions is 24 November 2025, while the deadline for submission of approved stories is 11 January 2026.

We will pay between N200,000 and N500,000 for accepted stories. Please share with experts, scholars, journalists and storytellers within your network who may be interested in contributing⎈