Nigerian-born author and cultural storyteller Oyindamola Olugbile has won the 2025 NLNG-sponsored Nigeria Prize for Literature, defeating Chigozie Obioma and Nikki May.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, established in 2004, is one of the country’s most prestigious literary awards.
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It celebrates outstanding literary excellence by Nigerian authors and rotates annually among four genres: fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature, completing the cycle every four years.
The Advisory Board for the Prize, chaired by Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, announced Ms Olugbile’s victory at the award ceremony held on Friday night at the Eko Convention Centre, Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.
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Ms Olugbile clinched the coveted prize with her debut novel, “Sanya”, defeating Mr Obioma’s “The Road to the Country” and Ms May’s “This Motherless Land.”
A graduate of the University of Lagos, where she earned a B.A. (Hons) in Creative Arts, Ms Olugbile received the grand cash award of $100,000.
Sanya
Her novel “Sanya” is a debut that explores the themes of dangerous love, lost, found, and lost again, set against the backdrop of a fantastical, mesmerising empire that even the Òrìsà find enchanting.
Ms Olugbile also holds Postgraduate Certificates from Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School Online, and the School of Politics, Policy and Governance (SPPG).
She also earned an MSc from King’s College London and works as a Social Impact Management Consultant.
She is the Chief Curator of the Experience Factory, an education enterprise devoted to curating out-of-classroom learning experiences for young people.
PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that author Olubunmi Familoni won the 2024 edition of the prize with his book, “The Road Does Not End.”
Process
This newspaper learnt that Ms Adimora-Ezeigbo described the adjudication process as intense, rigorous, and meticulous.
She noted that the eleven books initially longlisted were all outstanding entries, adding that the challenges faced by the judges during this year’s evaluation were both daunting and unprecedented.
Ms Adimora-Ezeigbo also commended all the authors who submitted their works, describing it as inspiring to witness such remarkable creativity and passion.
“Each work 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.
“Our task, therefore, is clear. It is to choose the most deserving laureate for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, 2025. This cycle has been one of the most competitive yet, with every entry showing an impressive level of excellence that stretched our judgment to the limit. Still, we remain committed to excellence, honouring outstanding writings and keeping alive the vital conversation around Nigerian literature”, Ms Adimora-Ezeigbo added.
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