Her imaginative debut sets a new benchmark for Nigerian fiction, and earns her the $100,000 grand prize.
Nigerian author Oyindamola Olugbile has been announced as the winner of the 2025 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, taking home the $100,000 grand prize for her debut novel Sanya. The award ceremony took place at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, marking a major milestone for both the author and the Nigerian literary scene.
Olugbile’s Sanya was selected from a highly competitive field that included established writers such as Chigozie Obioma and Nikki May. The prize’s Advisory Board, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora‑Ezeigbo, described the long-listed works as “compelling in their beauty, stirring in their emotional resonance, and unflinching in their engagement with familiar yet urgent societal issues.”
Sanya explores themes of love, loss and rediscovery within the framework of a fantastical empire, one that even the Ọ̀rìṣà find enchanting. The novel’s imaginative world-building and richly drawn characters have established Olugbile as a new voice in contemporary Nigerian fiction.
Her educational background, which includes a B.A. in Creative Arts from the University of Lagos and an MSc from King’s College London, along with postgraduate studies at Lagos Business School and Harvard Business School Online, speak to the depth of her preparation and vision.
The NLNG Prize for Literature was established in 2004 and annually rotates among fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature. It’s widely regarded as Nigeria’s most prestigious literary award, and past winners include the previous year’s laureate, Olubunmi Familoni, who won in 2024 for The Road Does Not End.
Olugbile also serves as Chief Curator of the Experience Factory, an educational initiative that provides out-of-classroom learning experiences for young people. Her dual role as author and social-impact leader underscores the broader significance of her win, highlighting how literature can influence culture, learning and social change.
Oyindamola Olugbile’s Sanya is more than a prize-winning debut, it’s a reminder of the depth, ambition, and emotional range emerging from Nigeria’s literary space. By claiming the 2025 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature, the novel signals a powerful new voice stepping confidently into the spotlight. If you’re looking for a contemporary Nigerian story that blends cultural resonance with compelling storytelling, Sanya deserves a spot on your reading list.
What do you think about Sanya winning the 2025 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature?
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