Two Nigerian writers, Jane Kalu and Chika Unigwe, have been named among the winners of the prestigious 2025 O. Henry Prize for Short Fiction.
The O. Henry Prize celebrates outstanding short fiction published in magazines across the United States and beyond. Each year, the prize honors writers whose work shows excellence, imagination, and depth. This year’s guest editor is Edward P. Jones, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author known for his own eloquent short stories.
Jane Kalu was recognized for her story “Sickled,” published in American Short Fiction while Chika Unigwe, an acclaimed writer who won the 2012 Nigeria Prize for Literature, was honored for her story “Miracle in Lagos Traffic,” published in Michigan Quarterly Review.
In his introduction to The Best Short Stories 2025: The O. Henry Prize Winners, Edward P. Jones’ comments reflect the spirit of the winning stories, including those by Kalu and Unigwe.
The stories, along with the other winning works, will be featured in The Best Short Stories 2025: The O. Henry Prize Winners, offering readers around the world a diverse collection of narratives.
Congratulations, Jane Kalu and Chika Unigwe!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
