The Nigeria Prize for Literature has unveiled its longlist of 11 authors for the 2025 edition of the prestigious award.
The longlist was announced in a social media post on Wednesday.
“The Longlist is here! We’re proud to unveil the 2025 longlist for the Nigeria Prize for Literature— a celebration of powerful stories, unforgettable characters, and the literary brilliance that defines our heritage,” the organisers said.
Sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), the Nigeria Prize for Literature is widely regarded as Africa’s most prestigious literary honour. It carries a $100,000 cash prize for the winner.
This year’s edition focuses on prose fiction, following the prize’s annual rotation between four genres: prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature.
The organisers said this year’s entries “captured hearts, challenged minds, and showcased the depth of Nigerian storytelling”.
In addition to the main literature prize, NLNG also sponsors the Nigeria Prize for Literary Criticism, which awards $10,000 to the best scholarly work focusing on Nigerian prose fiction.
Nigerian author Olubunmi Familoni’s book ‘The Road Does Not End’ won the 2024 edition.
The 11 longlisted titles are:
- An Unusual Grief – Yewande Omotoso
- Fine Dreams – Linda N. Masi
- My Bones in SakasToon – Michael Afenfia
- New York, My Village – Uwem Akpan
- Petricheor: The Scent of a New Beginning – Ayo Oyeku
- Sanya – Oyin Olugbile
- The Middle Daughter – Chika Unigwe
- The Road to the Country – Chigozie Obioma
- The Motherless Land – Nikki May
- Water Baby – Chioma Okereke
- When We Were Fireflies – Abubakar Adam Ibrahim
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