The wait is finally over for the next laureate of the NLNG-sponsored Nigeria Prize for Literature. At a vibrant Grand Award Night, held on Friday, October 9, at the Eko Hotels, Lagos, the prize’s Advisory Board led by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, announced Ogaga Ifowodo as the winner of the 2026 edition.
Ifowodo clinched the prestigious Prize for his book Why Does God Need a Gun”. He received the cash award of $100,000 for the competition which is the richest and most prestigious literary award in Africa.
Ifowodo beat two other finalists – James Ngwu-Eze (‘Unbind Me Now’) and Tares Oburumu (Flora’s Love Colony) to win the prestigious Prize.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature rotates among four genres of literature: prose poetry, fiction, drama, and children’s literature.
The Nigeria Prize for Literature established in 2004, is one of the country’s most prestigious literary award. It celebrates outstanding literary excellence by Nigerian authors, and rotates annually among four genre, poetry, fiction, drama and children’s literature completing the circle every four years.