Ogaga Ifowodo wins $100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature

Ogaga Ifowodo has won the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature for his poetry collection, ‘Why Does God Need a Gun?’. The award, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), includes a $100,000 cash prize. The collection was recognized for its allegorical exploration of religious intolerance, terrorism, and political violence in Nigeria.

In addition to the literature prize, the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts was awarded to Peter Oghenetega Oke for ‘Beyond Tarkwa Bay’ and Feranmi Abiola for ‘Mara Mania’. These joint winners received a $20,000 cash award. The winners were announced during the NLNG Grand Award Night in Lagos on October 9, 2026.

The literature prize was selected from 223 entries, while the creative arts prize emerged from 98 submissions. Judges noted that the winning works engage with themes of identity, nationhood, and the consequences of conflict and displacement.