What was once described as a fiercely competitive 2025 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Literature now seems to have undersold the true intensity of this year’s literary contest.
On Wednesday, the Prize’s Advisory Board unveiled a longlist of 11 outstanding prose works, officially kicking off the race for Nigeria’s most prestigious literary honour. Sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), the award comes with a grand prize of $100,000 and will culminate in a gala event this October marking the anniversary of NLNG’s first LNG shipment in October 1999.
The longlist, arranged alphabetically by book title, features:
- An Unusual Grief by Yewande Omotoso
- Fine Dreams by Linda Masi
- Leave My Bones in Saskatoon by Michael Afenfia
- New York, My Village by Uwem Akpan
- Petrichor: The Scent of a New Beginning by Ayo Oyeku
- Sanya by Oyin Olugbile
- The Middle Daughter by Chika Unigwe
- The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma
- This Motherless Land by Nikki May
- Water Baby by Chioma Okereke
- When We Were Fireflies by Abubakar Adam Ibrahim
The Nigeria Prize for Literature, which rotates annually among four genres prose fiction, poetry, drama, and children’s literature received 252 entries this year. From these, the panel of judges carefully selected a longlist that, according to the Prize’s Advisory Board Chair, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, “evokes a mix of emotions both within the stories themselves and in response to the selection of finalists and the eventual winner.”
“In sifting through the 252 submissions, the judges have not only selected 11 books,” she said, “they have unveiled narratives that embody the highest standards of literary excellence. These books are windows into diverse worlds, each brimming with depth, emotion, and craftsmanship.”
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo praised the judges for their thoughtful and rigorous process and reaffirmed the Board’s dedication to promoting literary quality and a vibrant reading culture.
She added, “As we move from this longlist to the finalists and ultimately the winner, the journey promises to be one of profound emotional resonance. The 2025 edition will surely be a celebration of storytelling at its most powerful.”
With names both established and emerging on this year’s list, literary enthusiasts across Nigeria and beyond now watch with anticipation as the competition narrows one chapter at a time.
