The organisers of the FA Yuletide Writing Prize have announced the winners of the 2025 edition of the literary award, recognising outstanding short fiction from a competitive pool of 127 submissions.
The announcement, made on January 15, 2026, confirmed prize placements across four categories, including First Prize, Second Prize, Third Prize, and a Special Attempt award. Cash prizes were awarded to each winner, with sponsorship credited to Fortune Aganbi (Writer, Techie (DA), Entrepreneur; Longlist, Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2024).
Winners
- First Prize: Chinaza Abigail Nwachukwu — “Best Christmas Ever” (Prize: ₦250,000)
- Second Prize: Peter Ann Caroline — “Answered Prayers” (Prize: ₦180,000)
- Third Prize: Omobolaji Olofinnika — “Where Shadows Walk” (Prize: ₦120,000)
- Special Attempt Award: Nwajesu Ekpenisi — “In the Bleakness Of-” (Prize: ₦50,000)
Shortlisted Writers
In addition to the winners, the FA Yuletide Writing Prize shortlisted ten writers whose stories advanced to the final stage. The 2025 shortlist included:
- Chinaza Abigail Nwachukwu — “Best Christmas Ever”
- Omobolaji Olofinnika — “Where Shadows Walk”
- Oluwajomiloju Oyelude — “The Girl Who Sits with Thread in Her Mouth”
- Ibiapuye Tom Oruwari — “Furo-wari, Obiobele”
- Peter Ann Caroline — “Answered Prayers”
- Ademiju Omotomiwa Boluwatife — “No Calm After a Storm”
- IkeChukwu Henry — “A Cup of Red for the Visitors”
- Nelson Precious Chinaturum — “The Harmattan Feast”
- Nwajesu Ekpenisi — “In the Bleakness Of-”
- Precious Chidinma Osuagwu — “A Christmas to Remember”
The FA Yuletide Writing Prize is a Nigerian writing competition organized by Fortune Aganbi to discover and reward emerging writers through themed prompts that often focus on Nigerian realities, such as economic hardship or social issues, under festive or challenging circumstances.
To read the shortlisted stories, kindly click here.
Congratulations to all shortlisted authors and to the winners of the FA Yuletide Writing Prize!
