Introducing The Black Atlantic

The Black Atlantic is our new project showcasing human stories centered on blackness from Africa and the African diaspora.

Written by The Republic

Apr 5, 2021

The Black Atlantic is a new project at The Republic that showcases nuanced, human stories centered on blackness and Black identities from Africa and the African diaspora. Our editors are looking, first and foremost, for stories—compelling, moving narratives from around the world on what it means to be Black today. We want to read personal essays about, essentially, everything Black—with an emphasis on food, personal history, relationships, travel (or migration) and sexuality. We expect such essays to revolve around a big life event (or decision) the writer is trying to unpack.

Most importantly, we want original, true stories that are rooted in specific places and offer fresh voices and perspectives. Some prompts you may consider for inspiration (this list is non-exhaustive):

Travelling across borders to reconnect with family
Revisiting the music of your childhood
Your last day of high school / university
Raising a child / starting a family
Your relationship with your parents
Being ‘sent back to Africa’ as a form of discipline
Navigating beauty standards
Falling in love
Coming out to Black parents
Your relationship with food

To submit a Black Atlantic essay, select The Black Atlantic on our submissions form when you visit our submissions page. We’re expecting essays of 1,500 – 1,800 words. Essays will go through our standard editorial process and all selected writers will be paid for published work⎈

We want to hear what you think about this new column. For questions or comments write to editors@republic.com.ng.

You’ve Reached Your Limit of Free Reading.

The Republic is a Nigerian media-tech company dedicated to explaining our time—through deeply reported journalism on power, culture and society.

Ad-Free Reading Experience

Focused consumption without interruptions.

Unlimited Access to Exclusive Archives

Years of reporting at your fingertips.

In-Depth Deep-dive Reporting

Long-form journalism that matters.

Create a free account to continue reading this month and access more of our work.

Comments

SHOP THE REPUBLIC

The Sinister Side of Oluremi Tinubu’s ‘Entrepreneurial Citizenship’

The recent rhetoric of micro-entrepreneurship advanced by Nigeria’s first lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, harks back to longstanding assumptions about poverty in Africa while echoing a newer, more insidious discourse of entrepreneurial citizenship. Taken together, these narratives serve the interests of African governments and powerful external actors.

—March 22, 2026

The Night Women of Benin City

As daylight fades in Benin City, women step into the night to sustain families, communities and an informal economy that keeps the city alive. The women-led night markets of Benin transform into spaces of survival, solidarity and quiet resistance.

—March 22, 2026

The Speculative Worlds of ‘Yan Crypto

You thought the Nigerian cryptocurrency ecosystem was confined to Lagos? Think again. Meet northern Nigeria’s ‘yan crypto and the digital worlds of volatile money they deftly navigate.

—December 21, 2025

Inside Nigerian Freelancers’ Currency Trap

Nigeria’s freelance economy is growing, but for millions of digital workers, receiving international payments remains an extreme sport. If the country wants to export digital labour and capture its value at home, it must first fix how that labour gets paid.

—November 9, 2025

What Naira Decoupling Means for Nigeria’s Economy

For decades, oil has dictated the fate of the naira. When crude prices soared, the currency strengthened; when they collapsed, the naira buckled. This cycle, so familiar to Nigerians, once seemed unbreakable.

Subscribe to our free newsletter.

What’s your e-mail?

You’re in — welcome to The Republic

Complete your onboarding

Read

Connect

Apps

More

Read

Connect

Apps

More

Introducing The Black Atlantic