Emmanuel Thomas l Friday, October 17, 2025
SWEDEN – Nigerian novelist and literary powerhouse Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has capped off a sensational year by winning her third major European award of 2025.
The celebrated author, whose books have captivated millions globally, has been honoured with the prestigious Mermaid Award (Sjöjungfrun) at the Gothenburg Book Fair in Sweden.
The annual prize is given to a writer who has “deeply moved” Swedish readers, and Adichie’s win confirms her superstar status on the continent.
The Mermaid Award is the third major accolade the 48-year-old has scooped in a remarkable run.
It follows her victory in September when she became the first recipient of Germany’s Felix Jud Prize for Defiant Thinking, an award honouring those who champion intellectual freedom.
And just last week, Adichie also picked up the esteemed Sunday Times Award for Literary Excellence in Britain, celebrating her incredible 42-year writing career.
The ‘Americanah’ author, who grew up in Nigeria, was praised by the Mermaid Award jury for her “sharp portrayals of identity, feminism, and migration.”
The judges’ citation added: “Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie bridges the personal and the political, portraying issues of power, gender, migration, and postcolonialism… Her voice is both urgent and timeless.”
Adichie received the hand-carved mermaid statuette at a packed-out ceremony at the Gothenburg Book Fair.
The author said she was “equally moved by the rich literary symbolism of the Mermaid as by the knowledge that my work has resonated so deeply with Swedish readers.”
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is one of the world’s most influential contemporary authors, known for works like Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah.
Her latest novel, Dream Count, was published earlier in 2025 and was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
The Mermaid Award (Sjöjungfrun) was established by the Gothenburg Book Fair in 2024. The 2025 prize is only its second time being awarded.
Adichie’s work, including her feminist manifesto We Should All Be Feminists, has been praised by figures like Beyoncé and Barack Obama, cementing her impact beyond just literature.
