Ogaga Ifowodo has won The Nigeria Prize for Literature 2026 with his poetry collection Why Does God Need a Gun? taking home one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honours and its $100,000 cash award.
At the same event, Beyond Tarkwa Bay by Peter Oghenetega Oke and Mara Mania by Feranmi Abiola were named joint winners of the first edition of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, which carries a $20,000 award.
The winners were revealed on Friday, at NLNG’s Grand Award Night in Lagos, according to a statement made available by the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall.
Ifowodo’s collection was chosen from 223 entries, while the two documentaries came out on top among 98 submissions to the creative arts prize.
Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, said the winning book offers a sensitive portrayal of religious and political violence in Nigeria, told through the voice of an imagined victim.
She also commended all three shortlisted collections for the technical skill, confidence and mature command of language shown by their poets.
She pointed to a conversation running through the books, which, despite their different voices and styles, deal with related concerns.
These include identity and belonging, the promises and disappointments of nationhood, the consequences of extremism and displacement, and the lasting effect of conflict on individuals and communities.
She said the works are firmly rooted in the Nigerian experience but speak well beyond the country’s borders.
Joel Kachi Benson, Technical Adviser to the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, spoke about the five shortlisted documentaries.
He said the films did more than record reality, as they challenged perceptions and built deeper human connections.
According to him, they brought unseen communities into view, amplified voices that are rarely heard, celebrated resilience, documented culture and preserved memory.
The literature and creative arts results came after the announcement in September 2026 of Mary-Brenda Akoda as winner of The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.
Her innovation, GenScan AI (GenMRI/C-MORE), uses artificial intelligence to speed up magnetic resonance imaging. She became the prize’s first Gen Z winner and the first woman to win as an individual.
In his opening remarks, Adeleye Falade, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NLNG, said the Nigeria Prizes were created to recognise outstanding achievement and to encourage scientific innovation and literary excellence that enrich society and improve lives.
He said the science prize had honoured groundbreaking work in health, agriculture, engineering, energy, technology, climate resilience and sustainable development.
It celebrates scientists whose efforts reach beyond laboratories and research papers to deliver practical solutions, he said, adding that this year’s winning work in AI and information technology could transform lives in Nigeria and around the world.
On the literature prize, Falade said it had grown into one of Africa’s most prestigious literary honours, drawing wide interest and giving a platform to some of the continent’s finest writers.
He said Nigerian writers have shown that their stories are far more than accounts of origin, and that they add meaningfully to global conversations about identity, resilience and shared humanity.
He described the creative arts prize as another platform for celebrating originality, authenticity and creative excellence, honouring artists who preserve Nigeria’s heritage while reimagining it for a new generation.
Together, he said, the Nigeria Prizes have become enduring national institutions and a reminder of what is possible when excellence is recognised, rewarded and encouraged.
Falade congratulated the finalists and winners, noting that excellence is never accidental. Every finalist represented discipline and dedication, he said, and every winner represented the triumph of perseverance.
He expressed the hope that the honourees would inspire the next generation of scientists, writers and creatives to solve tomorrow’s challenges, tell tomorrow’s stories and shape tomorrow’s future.
Professor Wole Soyinka also spoke at the event, describing imagination as a vital link between literature, the creative arts and science.
He said imagination is not limited to the humanities, since fields such as mathematics and physics also rely on vision and the ability to conceive new possibilities.
He called for closer collaboration between the humanities and the sciences for the good of humanity, urging both to expand the boundaries of imagination and combine their strengths to build a better world, with human wellbeing at the centre of creative expression and scientific progress.
Through the Nigeria Prizes, NLNG reaffirms its commitment to recognising excellence and inspiring a sustainable future.
