“Sanya Wins Big”— Oyin Olugbile Clinches $100,000 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature 2025

The suspense over the winner of the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), ended on Friday, October 10, 2025, with Oyin Olugbile emerging as the laureate.

The Advisory Board, led by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, announced Olugbile’s victory during a grand award ceremony held at Eko Hotels, Lagos. Olugbile won the prestigious prize for her prose fiction work, Sanya, earning the $100,000 cash award, the richest literary prize in Africa.

Olugbile beat fellow finalists Chigozie Obioma, author of The Road to the Country, and Nikki May, author of This Motherless Land, to claim the top spot. The 2025 edition of the prize, themed “Inspire,” focused on prose fiction, one of the four genres rotated annually by the prize, alongside poetry, drama, and children’s literature.

Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo described the finalists’ works as “exceptional,” praising their storytelling, characterisation, and command of language. She said: “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 urgent societal issues.”

The Advisory Board Chair also lauded the judging panel for their rigorous evaluation process, ensuring only the most outstanding works reached the shortlist. The 2025 judging panel was chaired by Associate Professor Saeedat Bolajoko Aliyu of Kwara State University and included Professor Stephen Mbanefo Ogene of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, and writer and media personality Olakunle Kasumu.

The judges described Sanya as “a fascinating novel,” noting that “from the cover to the plot, the author keeps the story pacey and intriguing,” highlighting its cultural relevance and engaging narrative.

This year’s prize continues to celebrate excellence in Nigerian literature, promoting creativity, literary innovation, and a deeper engagement with societal themes.

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