Ogaga Ifowodo has won the 2026 NLNG Nigeria Prize for Literature with his poetry collection, Why Does God Need a Gun?, taking home the prestigious $100,000 prize.
The announcement was made at the NLNG Grand Award Night held in Lagos on Friday, October 9.
Peter Oghenetega Oke’s Beyond Tarkwa Bay and Feranmi Abiola’s Mara Mania also emerged as joint winners of the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, sharing the $20,000 award.
The literature prize winner was selected from 223 entries, while the creative arts winners emerged from 98 documentary submissions.
Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, said the winning poetry collection is “a sensitive portrayal of religious and political violence in Nigeria, told through the voice of an imagined victim.”
She added: “Equally compelling is the conversation that unfolds across the three books. Though distinct in voice and style, they engage with related concerns: questions of identity and belonging; the promises and disappointments of nationhood; the consequences of extremism and displacement; and the enduring impact of conflict on individuals and communities. These are works deeply rooted in the Nigerian experience, yet they reach far beyond our borders.”
Technical Adviser to the Creative Arts Prize Advisory Board, Joel Kachi Benson, praised the shortlisted documentaries, saying: “These documentaries transported us into communities often unseen. They amplified voices too often unheard. They celebrate resilience, document culture, preserve memory, and reveal perspectives that enrich our understanding of who we are.”
NLNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Adeleye Falade, said the Nigeria Prizes were created to reward excellence and encourage scientific innovation, literary achievement and creative talent that improve lives.
He said: “It has celebrated the ingenuity, dedication and brilliance of scientists whose work extends far beyond laboratories and research papers to deliver practical solutions that improve lives,” adding that this year’s AI-powered innovation could transform lives in Nigeria and beyond.
Falade also said: “Through this prize, Nigerian writers have demonstrated that our stories are far more than accounts of where we come from. They contribute meaningfully to global conversations about identity, resilience and our shared humanity,” while describing the prizes as enduring national institutions that inspire future generations.
Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka said imagination connects literature, science and the creative arts, urging greater collaboration between both fields to advance human wellbeing.
The Nigeria Prizes, sponsored by NLNG, remain among Africa’s most respected awards, recognising outstanding achievements in literature, science, innovation and the creative arts while encouraging excellence that benefits society.