An evening of inspiration, elegance as Olugbile triumphs with ‘Sanya’ for $100,000 lit Prize

…NLNG expands support to creative arts

By Prisca Sam-Duru

The Nigerian literary scene celebrated its newest Laurette as Olugbile’s ‘Sanya’ was named the winner of The Nigeria Prize for Literature (NPL) 2025, securing the NLNG-sponsored coveted $100,000 award.

The announcement was the highlight of the NLNG Grand Award Night, a dazzling ceremony held at the Eko Hotels, Lagos.

In a major development for the creative industry, the sponsors, NLNG, also unveiled a new Creative Arts Prize category, signalling a significant expansion of their commitment to Nigeria’s creative sector.

This year’s annual celebration of The Nigeria Prizes, themed “Inspire,” kicked off with an elegant display. Guests, adhering to the classic white dress code, were greeted by a vibrant green carpet and décor that paid homage to Nigeria’s national colours. Interactive elements, including an “inspiration tree” and a “Smile Booth,” engaged attendees before they were ushered into the space where they enjoyed cocktails with assorted finger foods and afterwards, into the stunningly decorated main hall.

The ceremony, held on Friday, October 10, 2025, was a blend of exquisite culture and entertainment. The grand entrance of King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, the Perekule XI Natural Ruler of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom, was, as usual, a memorable spectacle, complete with a traditional masquerade escort from Bayelsa State.

Entertainment throughout the night featured a mix of comedy, classic tunes, and a powerful fusion of contemporary music and traditional Niger Delta dance. The blend was fantastic!

The inspirational evening also saw the celebration of the winner for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism. Furthermore, the event featured the unveiling of “Voices of Our Leaders,” a commemorative book on NLNG’s three decades of history and progress, which was presented by the Honourable Minister of State (Gas), Petroleum Resources, Rt. Hon. Ekperikpe Ekpo.

He also read the foreword of the book.

As the evening wore on, the Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, announced Okwudiri Anasiudu’s work as the winning entry for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism. Anasiudu won for his submissions titled Afropolitan Identity and Afrodiasporic Otherness in Selected African Novels; Allegorical Conjectures in Helon Habila’s Measuring Time; and Mimetic designs in Helon Habila’s Oil on Water.  Anasiudu received $10,000 prize money for The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism.

Next was the announcement of the NPL winner- a prize sponsored by the NLNG to promote and reward excellence in writing. To do that, Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo, supported by other members of the Board-

Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima, announced Oyin Olugbile’s debut novel as the winner of the 2025 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature. Olugbile emerged winner by beating 252 novels submitted for this year’s competition, and clinched one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honour valued at $100,000.

According to Prof Adimora-Ezeigbo, Olugbile’s mythology retelling approach was distinct and daring for casting Sango as a female and for the projection of Yoruba mythology through a story that captivates and meanders into a fantastical world. She stated that Olugbile achieved this through lucid and straightforward language, making for easy reading.

“We were impressed by the quality of the shortlisted books written by three writers with diverse backgrounds and experiences. The books, Sanya by Oyin Olugbile; The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma, both published by Masobe Books; and This Motherless Land by Nikki May, published by Narrative Landscape, indicate an improvement in the quality of local publishing.

“After much careful assessments and deliberations, we concluded that very little separates the novels, and each is a potential winner of the award. However, Oyin Olugbile’s Sanya slightly takes the edge and is therefore our pick as the winner of the 2025 The Nigeria Prize for Literature,” she stated.  

Olugbile’s accomplishment against internationally acclaimed authors is a plus for debut authors in African literature. The feat also positions her among previous female writers- Kaine Agary (Yellow Yellow, 2004), Mabel Segun (Reader’s Theatre, 2007), Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (My Cousin Sammy, 2007), Chika Unigwe (On Black Sisters’ Street, 2012), and Cheluchi Onyemelukwe-Onuobia (Son of the House, 2021).

In her acceptance speech, Olugbile  who holds a B.A (Hons) in Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, and a few Post-graduate Certificates from the Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School Online, the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG) and a MSc from King’s College London, said, “This story is not just mine; it belongs to every African who has had to piece themselves together across borders, across generations, across silences.

“This prize declares that our stories are not footnotes; they are the main text. It affirms that we are no longer waiting to be discovered; we have arrived.”

She also thanked the NLNG, “for recognising that African literature is not charity; it is legacy.”

The Nigeria Prize for Literature, established in 2004 by NLNG, rotates annually among four genres namely prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature. The 2025 edition focused on prose fiction.

In his opening remarks, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, Philip Mshelbila highlighted the enduring influence of literature, describing The Nigeria Prize for Literature as “a reminder of the power of words to shape identity and deepen understanding. Winning the Prize is recognition of scaling the highest heights of literature. All the shortlisted books this evening are works of the highest calibre,” he said.

He also revealed that The Nigeria Prize for Science will be renamed “The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.” He said the new name reflects NLNG’s belief that progress depends as much on creativity and fresh thinking as on technology and infrastructure.

Mshelbila who noted that “Voices of Our Leaders” captures the voices of some of those who have guided NLNG’s journey from dream to reality, further announced that NLNG would be resting The Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism and introducing a new Prize category “The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts,” with focus on Documentary Film. He stressed that the new prize would inspire a new generation of storytellers to inform, challenge, and connect Nigerians more deeply to the present as well as the future.

In his Keynote speech, the Honourable Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, remarked that while there was much to celebrate, it was equally important to pause and reflect, noting that The Nigeria Prize for Science, with its theme “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development,” had not produced a winning work in 2025. He said it was a reminder that without innovation, Nigeria can not hope to compete in a digital future.

Dr Alausa emphasised that Nigeria must deepen its investment in science, particularly in artificial intelligence and digital technologies, which he described as key to addressing many of the country’s developmental challenges.

The post An evening of inspiration, elegance as Olugbile triumphs with ‘Sanya’ for $100,000 lit Prize appeared first on Vanguard News.