Oyin Olugbile, winner of the 2025 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, has urged Nigerian writers to submit their works for the 2026 edition of the award.
In a collaboration post with Nigeria LNG and The Nigeria Prizes team on Instagram on Wednesday, she invited authors to take part in the country’s leading literary competition. The post included a video of Olugbile speaking about her journey to winning the prize last year.
In the video, Olugbile said: “Last year, I took a chance on my own words, and it changed everything. The Nigerian Prize for Literature isn’t just an award, it’s a platform, a spotlight, a legacy. And now, it’s your turn. If you have written something powerful, something honest, something that deserves to be heard, don’t hold it back. Your story could be the one that moves the nation, or the one that wins. Submit your entry for the 2026 cycle. Take that step. Own your voice. I did, and it made all the difference. Entries are open until the 31st of March. Submit today.”
Olugbile won the 2025 prize with her novel Sanya, taking home the grand cash award of $100,000, one of the richest literary prizes in Africa. She beat other shortlisted authors to claim the top prize at the Grand Award Night in Lagos in October 2025.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, launched in 2004 by Nigeria LNG Limited in partnership with the Nigerian Academy of Science, the Nigeria Academy of Letters, and the Association of Nigerian Authors, rotates each year among prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature. The prize aims to promote Nigerian writing, encourage high standards in literature, and recognize outstanding authors.
The winner of the 2026 Literature Prize will again receive $100,000. Entries must be submitted by March 31.
