Oyin Olugbile has won the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature for her debut novel “Sanya”, which reimagines Yoruba mythology with a female Sango.
The $100,000 prize is one of Africa’s most prestigious literary awards. Olugbile’s winning novel was selected from 252 submissions for its masterful plotting, characterization, and exploration of culturally relevant themes. The Advisory Board praised her distinct and daring approach to retelling Yoruba mythology.
“After much careful assessments and deliberations, we concluded that very little separates the novels and each is a potential winner of the award. However, Oyin Olugbile’s Sanya slightly takes the edge,” said Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chair of the Advisory Board.
Olugbile, a Nigerian-born author and cultural storyteller, holds degrees from the University of Lagos and King’s College London. She was shortlisted alongside Chigozie Obioma for “The Road to the Country” and Nikki May for “This Motherless Land”. The Nigeria Prize for Literature aims to celebrate literary excellence and provide a platform for Nigerian authors to share their stories globally.
