Three writers Oyin Olugbile, Chigozie Obioma, and Nikki May have been announced as finalists for the 2025 edition of the Nigeria Prize for Literature sponsored by Nigeria LNG.
The advisory board unveiled the shortlist last week Thursday, revealing Olugbile’s Sanya, Obioma’s The Road to the Country and May’s This Motherless Land as the three contenders for the $100,000 award.
The prize, regarded as Africa’s most prestigious literary honour, attracted a record 252 entries this year, the highest in its history. This surpasses the previous high of 202 entries in 2021.
From this pool, 11 works were longlisted before being narrowed down to the final three. Chair of the panel of judges, Prof Saeedat Bolajoko Aliyu, noted that the shortlisted novels reflect the depth and diversity of contemporary Nigerian fiction.
About the books
Sanya (2022) by Oyin Olugbile tells the story of a young woman whose destiny could save or destroy her people. Sanya always felt different and those around her – her brother Dada, Aunt Abike and even her parents before her birth sensed something special about her.
After a devastating tragedy forces her to leave home, she discovers her powers are linked to a dark prophecy she must confront, even at the cost of her soul. Olugbile’s debut is a tale of dangerous love and fantasy, set in an enthralling empire where even the Òrìsà themselves are spellbound. The novel is rich in Yoruba proverbs and wise sayings, reminiscent of Chinua Achebe’s storytelling and Tomi Adeyemi’s world-building.
The Road to the Country (2024) by Chigozie Obioma is set in Nigeria during the late 1960s. It follows Kunle, a shy, bookish student haunted by guilt, who must enter a war-torn country to rescue his missing younger brother.
His journey takes him through the Biafran army, where he is forced to fight a war he barely understands, while a local seer marks him as an abami eda “one destined to die and return.” The novel blends myth and realism into a story of brotherhood, love and courage, earning praise as a literary masterpiece.
This Motherless Land (2024) by Nikki May is a coming-of-age story about love, longing and belonging. After her mother dies in Lagos, Funke moves to England to live with her maternal family, struggling to fit into a new world.
Her cousin Liv becomes her anchor and their friendship carries them into adulthood. Yet, family choices and a second tragedy threaten their bond. The novel explores identity, culture, race and intergenerational trauma across two decades.
The winner of the $100,000 prize will be revealed at a ceremony on October 10.
