Terms &Conditions

Applicants must:

• —Be between 15 and 20 years old at the time of application.
• —Be currently studying in Nigeria.
• —Be enrolled in a senior secondary school or first-year university.
• —Have a completed manuscript of at least 10,000 words.
• —Submit a manuscript that is their own work.
• —Submit a manuscript that has not previously been published.

The submitted manuscript must be complete and must contain at least 10,000 words.

There is no maximum word count and there are no genre restrictions.

Applicants may submit fiction, poetry, memoir, fantasy, romance, mystery, essays or other forms of original writing.

Applicants must submit work that they have created themselves and must have the necessary rights to submit the manuscript.

Plagiarism, unauthorised use of another person's work, or submission of material that infringes another person's rights may result in disqualification.

Submitting a manuscript to The Next Chapter does not transfer copyright or ownership of the manuscript to OHR Publishing.

Applicants must provide accurate information in the application form.

Each applicant is responsible for ensuring that their submitted information and manuscript are complete and accurate.

OHR Publishing reserves the right to request clarification or additional information where necessary.

OHR Publishing will review eligible submissions and select:

• —One winner
• —Two runners-up

Selection will be based on the submitted manuscript and the information provided in the application.

The decision of OHR Publishing regarding the selection of the winner and runners-up is final.

Submission of an application does not guarantee selection.

The publishing support described above applies to the selected writers only.

Applicants under the age of 18 must obtain consent from a parent or legal guardian.

OHR Publishing may contact the parent or guardian using the information provided during the application process.

By applying, applicants acknowledge that OHR Publishing may use the applicant's name, photograph, manuscript title and relevant information about their participation in The Next Chapter for promotional and communication purposes.

For applicants under 18, such use will be subject to the applicable parent or guardian consent provided through the application process.

OHR Publishing will not claim ownership of an applicant's manuscript simply because it was submitted to The Next Chapter.

Applicants should keep a copy of their manuscript before submitting.

Submitted manuscripts will not be returned.

OHR Publishing will use submitted manuscripts for the purposes of reviewing and administering The Next Chapter.

OHR Publishing may disqualify an application if:

• —The applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements.
• —The information provided is materially false or misleading.
• —The manuscript does not meet the stated requirements.
• —The manuscript contains plagiarised or unauthorised material.
• —The applicant fails to provide required parent or guardian consent where applicable.

Applications close on:

30 September 2026

Applications submitted after the deadline may not be considered.

OHR Publishing reserves the right to make reasonable changes to The Next Chapter, including changes to the application process or timeline, where circumstances require.

Any significant changes will be communicated through OHR Publishing's official channels.

For questions regarding The Next Chapter, applicants may contact OHR Publishing through the official contact details provided on the website.