Oyin Olugbile has won the 2025 Nigeria Prize for Literature, receiving the $100,000 award for her debut fantasy novel, Sanya. The announcement was made at the Grand Award Nite on Friday, October 10, 2025, at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.
Olugbile’s Sanya was chosen over other shortlisted titles, including The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma and This Motherless Land by Nikki May. The novel explores themes of love and loss within a richly imagined empire, blending fantasy elements with cultural motifs.
Judges described the work as “fascinating,” praising its pace and intricate plot. Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chairperson of the Advisory Board, said the shortlisted entries were “exceptional,” highlighting their mastery of language, characterisation, and engagement with societal issues.
Olugbile, who holds a B.A. in Creative Arts from the University of Lagos, an MSc from King’s College London, and postgraduate certificates from Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School Online, and the School of Politics, Policy and Governance, works as a Social Impact Management Consultant. She is also Chief Curator of the Experience Factory, an education initiative providing out-of-classroom learning experiences for young people in Arts, STEM, Health, and Financial Literacy.
Sanya marks her first foray into fiction, and the award recognises her contribution to Nigerian literature and storytelling.
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