In a landmark moment for Nigerian literature, Oyindamola Olugbile has been announced as the winner of the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Ltd. (NLNG).
The author, cultural storyteller, and debut novelist clinched the prestigious $100,000 prize with her book Sanya, outshining fellow finalists Chigozie Obioma (The Road to the Country) and Nikki May (This Motherless Land).
Established in 2004, the NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature is considered the country’s most coveted literary honour. Olugbile’s win was revealed on Friday night at a ceremony in Lagos, with the Prize’s Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, making the official announcement.
“Sanya,” Olugbile’s debut novel, weaves a rich narrative of love, loss, and healing, set in a mystical empire imbued with the presence of the Òrìṣà. Its originality and emotional depth captivated the judges, positioning it ahead of a highly competitive field.
Olugbile, who earned her B.A. in Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, also holds advanced certificates from Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School Online, and the School of Politics, Policy and Governance. She later obtained her MSc from King’s College London and currently works as a Social Impact Management Consultant. In addition to her literary achievements, she is the Chief Curator of the Experience Factory, an educational initiative focused on experiential learning for youth.
Speaking about the selection process, Prof. Adimora-Ezeigbo described this year’s judging as particularly rigorous.
> “The challenges faced by the judges this year were both daunting and unprecedented,” she said. “Each work distinguishes itself through masterful plotting, characterisation, and language that transports readers into imagined worlds.
These are not merely stories; they are carefully woven realities, compelling in beauty, stirring in emotion, and unflinching in their engagement with urgent societal issues.”
She noted that although all eleven longlisted works were impressive, Sanya ultimately stood out as the most deserving.
The outgoing winner of the 2024 edition, Olubunmi Familoni, had earned the prize with The Road Does Not End, further highlighting the growing diversity and strength of contemporary Nigerian fiction.
At the event, NLNG’s Managing Director and CEO, Philip Mshelbila, emphasized the cultural significance of the award and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to literature.
> “Winning the Prize is recognition of scaling the highest heights of literature. All the shortlisted books are of the highest calibre,” he said.
Mshelbila also announced a series of key changes to NLNG’s prize categories. Most notably, the Nigeria Prize for Science will now be known as the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, reflecting a broader focus on creativity and problem-solving. In another move, the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism will be retired and replaced with a new category—The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts—which will spotlight documentary filmmaking.
He shared his hope that this new direction will fuel a renaissance in storytelling and deepen national consciousness.
> “The new prize will inspire a new generation of storytellers to inform, challenge, and connect Nigerians more deeply to their identity and aspirations.”
Turning to broader developmental issues, Mshelbila echoed concerns from the International Energy Agency, noting that Africa needs over $200 billion annually in energy investments to meet both climate and development goals.
> “Every kilometre of pipeline, every processing plant, and every household gas cylinder represents opportunity,” he stated, referencing NLNG’s Train 7 project, now more than 80% complete and valued at $10 billion. He hailed the project as a model of what coordinated policy and investment can achieve in Nigeria.
The night also featured the unveiling of Voices of Our Leaders, a commemorative publication chronicling NLNG’s 35-year journey and the visionaries behind its evolution.
In his keynote address, Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, celebrated the literary milestones honoured at the event but also issued a call to action. He pointed out that the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Science had no winner this year under the theme, “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development.”
> “This is a reminder that without innovation, Nigeria cannot hope to compete in a digital future,” Alausa cautioned.
He urged sustained national investment in science, technology, and the arts, highlighting their interconnected role in driving inclusive development.
Oyindamola Olugbile’s historic win not only cements her place among Nigeria’s rising literary voices but also underscores the power of storytelling to transcend, transform, and inspire.
NAN
