The race for Africa’s most prestigious literary crown has narrowed to three contenders, as the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Literature on Thursday unveiled the 2025 shortlist.
The selected works are “Sanya” by Oyin Olugbile, “The Road to the Country” by Chigozie Obioma, and “This Motherless Land” by Nikki May. One of them will walk away with the coveted $100,000 prize at the grand award ceremony scheduled for October 10, 2025.
Announcing the shortlist, the Advisory Board Chair, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, described this year’s adjudication as one of the most demanding in the prize’s history.
“The shortlist before us is exceptional. 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,” she said.
“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.”
The panel of judges, led by Associate Professor Saeedat Bolajoko Aliyu of Kwara State University, praised the shortlisted novels for their originality and cultural depth. They highlighted Olugbile’s “Sanya” as a “pacey and intriguing” story, Obioma’s “The Road to the Country” as a moving exploration of war, love and brotherhood, and May’s “This Motherless Land” as an emotionally gripping narrative that straddles two cultures.
The judges also included Professor Stephen Mbanefo Ogene of Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Mr. Olakunle Kasumu, producer and host of Channels TV’s Book Club.
Sponsored by the Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), the Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates annually among four genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature. The 2025 edition is dedicated to prose fiction.
