What to Read Before Everyone Else
Inside the $100,000 Nigerian Literary Prize shortlist — the reads defining literary excellence in Africa right now.
Every year, the Nigeria Prize for Literature puts a spotlight on some of the most exciting voices shaping African storytelling today. With $100,000 at stake, the prize isn’t just about recognition — it’s about defining what excellence looks like in African writing right now. This year’s shortlist features three remarkable novels, each exploring identity, conflict, and belonging in their own unforgettable way.
📚 Sanya — Oyin Olugbile
Set in Lagos, Sanya takes us deep into the tangled lives of characters chasing love, ambition, and survival in a city that never slows down. It’s fast-paced, dramatic, and brimming with energy — the kind of story that makes you miss your bus stop.
📚 The Road to the Country — Chigozie Obioma
Obioma, already twice Booker Prize-shortlisted, delivers a sweeping tale of two brothers caught in the fires of the Nigerian Civil War. It’s intimate yet epic, weaving history with heart, and asking what it really means to survive — and to forgive.
📚 This Motherless Land — Nikki May
A powerful exploration of migration, family, and identity. May follows a young woman pulled between Nigeria and the UK, writing with honesty and heart about what it means to belong everywhere and nowhere at once. Expect a story that lingers long after the last page.
Books as Cultural Markers
To read them now is to be part of the conversation before everyone else catches on. Whether you’re drawn to the drama of Lagos, the history of Biafra, or the complexities of diaspora life, this shortlist offers a way in.