By Henry Akubuiro & Damiete Braide
The Rainbow Book Club, in partnership with The Nigeria Prize for Literature sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), hosted a virtual Bookfest on Sunday to celebrate the three authors shortlisted for the 2025 edition of Africa’s most prestigious literary award.
The finalists, The Road to the Country by Chigozie Obioma, This Motherless Land by Nikki May, and Sanya by debut author Oyin Olugbile, were honoured during the online event, which brought together readers, writers, and literary enthusiasts from within and outside Nigeria. The ceremony reaffirmed the Prize’s reputation as a leading platform for showcasing excellence in African literature.
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In her welcome address, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG, set the tone for the celebration, describing literature as a bridge that connects people across cultures and generations.
“It is really an honour and privilege to welcome you to the 2025 virtual Rainbow Book Club/Nigeria Prize for Literature Book Festival,” she said. “Books have always been bridges between cultures, timeless companions that shape how we see the world and ourselves. Today, we gather to celebrate the extraordinary talents of our three remarkable finalists.”
She revealed that the 2025 edition of the prize had attracted a record 252 entries, from which a longlist of 11 was carefully curated before narrowing down to the final three. “These works exemplify the vibrant diversity and exceptional quality of contemporary Nigerian literature,” Horsfall declared. “The authors have crafted compelling stories that illuminate the human experience in uniquely Nigerian ways, reminding us that literature holds the power to transform, challenge, and inspire.”
Horsfall added that regardless of who eventually took home the Prize, the recognition of the three finalists was a testament to their artistry. “One truth remains: Nigerian literature is enjoying a remarkable moment of global recognition because of voices like yours. The world needs your truth, your perspective, and your creativity to keep the funnel of Nigerian literature alive and intriguing,” she said.
The Rainbow Book Club, which has long played a role in promoting reading culture in Nigeria, emphasised the importance of the collaboration with NLNG. Its Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Koko Kalongo, described the synergy as an essential step in bridging the gap between writers and readers.
“The Nigeria Prize for Literature is not only a reward for excellence but also a tool that inspires writers both at home and in the diaspora,” she said. “It contributes immensely to Nigeria’s knowledge economy. The business of reading and writing requires collective effort to thrive, and this partnership is a welcome development.”
This year, the prize focuses on prose fiction, with the winning book expected to be announced in October 2025.
The Bookfest also gave the shortlisted authors a chance to reflect on their works and share personal stories about their writing journeys. For British-Nigerian writer Nikki May, whose novel, This Motherless Land, earned her a place among the finalists, the process of creating one of her characters was both intimate and therapeutic.
“Writing is always hard,” she said with a laugh, “but Funke, one of my characters, was surprisingly easy, because she is the perfect version of me, the me my father wished I had been. She is the good girl, the one who stayed in university, became a doctor, and fulfilled all the expectations I didn’t. Writing her was easy in one sense because she felt familiar, but it was also deeply challenging because it meant confronting personal questions about identity, belonging, and home. Writing Funke was like holding a mirror to myself. It was therapy in the form of fiction.”
For Oyin Olugbile, whose debut novel, Sanya, catapulted her to the shortlist, the recognition was surreal. She admitted to still processing the achievement.
“I feel like somebody is going to pinch me to wake up,” she confessed. “It has been a dream, and I feel so accomplished. My children tease me, saying, ‘Mummy is an award-winning author,’ and I proudly say, ‘Yes, I am.’ This recognition is an amazing feat and an encouragement to keep going. I am deeply grateful to NLNG and to all the readers who embraced Sanya and said such positive things about it.”
Chigozie Obioma, author of The Road to the Country and twice-shortlisted for the Booker Prize, was also celebrated for his contribution to Nigerian literature, though he was not unable to attend the zoom conference. His inclusion among the finalists underscores the prize’s commitment to rewarding literary excellence across both established and emerging voices.
The event concluded with closing remarks by Mrs. Anne Maria-Palmer, Corporate Communications Manager at NLNG, who reflected on the timeless value of storytelling.
“Stories matter,” she said. “They connect us; they challenge us; they make us laugh, and they remind us of our shared humanity. People sometimes ask why an energy company like NLNG invests so much in literature. My answer is simple: stories are energy. Literature fuels imagination; helps us understand ourselves, and shapes how the world sees us. That is why the Nigeria Prize for Literature matters.”
She added that, while the prize comes with a $100,000 reward, one of the largest literary prizes in Africa, its impact goes far beyond financial recognition. “The prize is about creating a stage where Nigerian writers are heard, where their ideas travel across borders, and where Nigerian literature stands tall among the best in the world,” she said.
The 2025 Bookfest was not just a celebration of the shortlisted writers but also a reminder of the growing influence of Nigerian literature globally. Through the prize, NLNG and the Rainbow Book Club continue to nurture a thriving literary culture, ensuring that Nigerian stories resonate across continents, inspiring future generations of writers and readers alike.
… No winner verdict for The Nigeria Prize for Science
The Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science has announced that there will be no winner for the 2025 edition, following the judges’ dissatisfaction with the overall quality of entries received.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, explained that after a rigorous adjudication of the 112 entries submitted this year, none was found suitable for the prize. He stated that the decision, though difficult, reinforced the Board’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the selection process and protecting the reputation of the prestigious The Nigeria Prize for Science.
He noted that the prize is not just about rewarding scientific output, but safeguarding the values of creativity, originality, and scientific rigor that define truly outstanding work.
“To lower the bar would be to betray the trust of the public and diminish the legacy of the prize itself,” Prof. Nnaji affirmed.
He commended the courage and dedication of all who submitted entries, noting that their efforts reflect discipline and a desire to contribute to both national and global scientific discourse. He stressed that excellence was beyond effort, and that it requires innovation, mastery of craft, and the ability to leave a lasting mark on human thought and development.
The Board chairman called on Nigerian scientists, researchers, and innovators to be inspired by the judges’ verdict to do more and strive higher.
“The Nigeria Prize exists to celebrate only the finest achievements, work that embodies originality, withstands scrutiny, and elevates scientific discourse. Where these qualities are absent, we cannot, in good conscience, bestow the prize,” he stated.
This 2025 outcome is not unprecedented. In previous years, in 2005, 2007, and then during the haitus between 2011 to 2016, and again in 2021, The Nigeria Prize for Science was not awarded. Prof. Nnaji admonished Nigerian scientists that the high bar set for the Prize should not discourage future participation, but rather reinforce the fact that the Prize will never compromise on its standards of scientific innovation and excellence.
The Advisory Board also announced that the theme for this year “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development” will be repeated for the 2026 edition. The Board stated that the decision was taken to attract a wider spectrum of innovators, particularly in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence.
Furthermore, the Advisory Board unveiled the members of the panel of judges. They include Dr. Omobola Johnson, the Chairperson of the Panel of Judges for The Nigeria Prize for Science, a Senior Partner at TLcom Capital. Omobola Johnson drives investment and value creation in technology companies across sub-Saharan Africa. She previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology (2011–2015) and spent over 25 years at Accenture, including five years as Country Managing Director.
Prof. Collins Udanor is an Associate Professor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Udanor specialises in data analytics, intelligent agent systems, and multi-agent learning. He leads the High-Performance and Intelligence Computing Group (HiPIC) and has secured multiple grants from organisations such as UNESCO-HP, Google, Nvidia, and TETFund.
Prof. Aminu Muhammad Bui is a scholar at the Department of Computer Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. Bui specialises in Artificial Intelligence, decision support systems, information retrieval, feature selection, Hidden Markov Models, and educational data mining. His research contributes to advancing AI applications in decision-making and student performance prediction.
Now in its 21st year, the 2025 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Science opened for entries in February and drew a total of 112 submissions.
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