$100,000 Question: Who wins NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2025?
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By Prisca Sam-Duru
There’s a battle for literary power. A competition between Obioma, Olugbile, and May; two women against one man. And it is happening in the NLNG literary arena.
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The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2025 is at fever pitch. It is at its climax. And the air is thick with anticipation. The intensity of the fever increased on Wednesday, September 24, when the Advisory Board for the NLNG-sponsored The Nigeria Prize for Science declared a ‘no winner’ verdict on the 2025 Science competition. Since then, there’s been palpable fear within the literary community, forcing many into emergency prayer sections to ensure that the 2025 Nigeria Prize For Literature does not fail to produce a new laureate.
The three finalists, Oyin Olugbile’s “Sanya,” Chigozie Obioma’s “The Road to the Country,” and Nikki May’s “This Motherless Land,” announced by the Advisory Board of the prize last August, are literally on the hot seat. So are their friends, families, colleagues, publishers, and readers.
On October 10, 2025, the literary world will be super-charged as the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, also sponsored by NLNG, unveils the winner of the award for Prose Fiction. That day will determine who among the three finalists will be richer by USD$100,000. That’s a lot! And, it’s a worthy prize for this arm of creativity that impacts positively on society.
This is not just a prize; it is Africa’s most prestigious literary honour, a golden seal of excellence that instantly confers international gravitas.
The 2025 cycle has been, by all records, an exceptionally competitive one. Recall that record-breaking 252 entries were received. Consequently, the submissions were pruned down, first to a longlist of 11, which contained two past winners, following a meticulous screening that took the panel of judges more weeks for thorough adjudication. The 11 literary titans were longlisted in July. People became scared, and critics went to work. The inclusion of two past winners in the prose fiction category – Abubakar Adam Ibrahim and Chika Unigwe, who are also foreign-based, sent shivers down the spines of critics. That 11 longlist got them lashing out at NLNG for allowing authors in the diaspora to compete with home-based writers. They thought these two authors would easily edge out the rest. Alas! they were dead wrong.
Over the years, the literature prize, renowned as Africa’s most coveted literary prize, has maintained its motto of rewarding excellence only. This watchword always reflects in the four cycle- prose fiction, drama, poetry, and children’s literature.
Critics perhaps had a moment of rest as neither of the two past winners made it to the finals.
The final shortlist of three was announced in August. All eyes are on these final gladiators: Olugbile, Obioma, and May.
Each novel is a powerful contender, a masterclass in its own right, presenting the judges with an unprecedented, enviable, and daunting task. This is the ultimate literary showdown, and in the spirit of a good contest, there’s a need to weigh the merits of the final three to predict who clinches the coveted prize.
A closer look at the final three
For starters, this year’s panel of judges is chaired by Saeedat Bolajoko Aliyu, an associate professor of the Department of English, Kwara State University. Other members of the panel include: Stephen Mbanefo Ogene, professor of Comparative Literature, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and Olakunle Kasumu, writer, filmmaker, producer, and host of Channels Television’s Book Club.
They described the three books as works representing the best of Nigerian prose writing, exploring culturally relevant themes, and telling stories that are exciting, entertaining, and instructive.
Oyin Olugbile enters the final stage with the buzz and energy often associated with a fresh, captivating new voice. The judges’ panel singled out “Sanya” for its “fascinating” plot that “grabs attention” and an author who is “unrelenting at keeping the story pacey and intriguing.”
In a prize that seeks to “inspire excellence and spotlight Nigerian voices,” an impressive debut can sometimes carry the day, much like Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia’s win for her debut in the last Prose Fiction cycle.
Chigozie Obioma is the most internationally acclaimed name on the list, an author whose previous novels, The Fishermen and An Orchestra of Minorities, have earned him two nominations for the prestigious Booker Prize. He comes into this contest as the literary heavyweight, the writer whose work critics expect to be the most formally inventive and thematically profound. The judges’ citation for “The Road to the Country” praises its masterful exploration of “alternative realities alongside a captivating story of love, brotherhood, and a devastating war.”
Nikki May represents the growing, globally-conscious segment of Nigerian literature, which some people refer to as ‘Japa’ literature or the diaspora voice. Her work is praised for its “brilliant writing and riveting characters.” The judges noted that May “successfully straddles the cultures of two different countries.” This bi-cultural, diasporic narrative is a key thematic strength.
“This Motherless Land” is described as “emotionally charged and alluring.” This emotional resonance is often a decisive factor in literary prizes, as it speaks to the work’s ability to move and connect with a diverse readership on a deep, human level.
Historical precedent and the judges’ mandate
The Nigeria Prize for Literature’s mandate has always been to honour the very best in Nigerian writing and to inspire the literary ecosystem. We’ve seen inspiring works clinch the prize in the past in this same category. They include: Kaine Agary (2008), Chika Unigwe (2012), Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (2016), and Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia (2021). The quality of these powerful literary fictions highlights the panel of judges’ commitment to rewarding pure excellence and narrative power above all else.
Chair of the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo described the shortlist as ‘exceptional’. Each work, according to her, “Distinguishes itself through masterful plotting, characterisation, and a good command of language that transports readers into imagined worlds. These are not merely stories; they are carefully woven realities. They are compelling in their beauty, stirring in their emotional resonance and unflinching in their engagement with familiar yet urgent societal issues. The way the writers handled and resolved conflict highlights their skill and literary standing, making these works quite outstanding.”
Prof Adimora-Ezeugo then emphasized: “Our task, therefore, is clear. It is to choose the most deserving laureate for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2025,” noting that “This cycle has been one of the most competitive yet, with every entry showing an impressive level of excellence that stretched our judgement to the limit. Still, we remain committed to excellence, honouring outstanding writings, and keeping alive the vital conversation around Nigerian literature.
On the board with her are Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima.
In this high-stakes 2025 competition, it is difficult to make accurate predictions as to who gets honoured come October 10.
While Obioma is the most decorated among the finalists, the recognition of Olugbile and May could also be seen as a great investment in the future of Nigerian literature.
However, in the light of the context of Nigerian Identity, the judges’ comment on Obioma’s “devastating war” narrative and May’s “Motherless Land” suggests a deep engagement with national trauma and identity.
All three books are worthy of both the value of the coveted award as well as its $100,000 prize money, representing the high point of Nigerian prose fiction in this cycle.
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