15 Best Books About Nigeria: Nigerian Writers You Need to Read

Nigeria has an extraordinary literary heritage, so it was really fun putting together this suggested reading list of Nigerian books, featuring some of the country’s best-known authors.

The collection includes novels exploring colonialism, independence, the Nigerian Civil War (also known as the Biafran War), migration, family life and the complexities of modern Nigerian society.

There’s also a healthy dose of magical realism, folklore, dark humour and political satire, with everything from a spirit child wandering the streets of Lagos to a rather unusual case of sibling loyalty involving a serial killer!

Whether you’re looking for your next literary adventure or simply want to explore Nigeria through its writers, I hope you enjoy perusing and reading these books by Nigerian authors.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This means I earn a small commission if you choose to make a purchase using a link, but at no cost to you. I’ve included Amazon links to each recommended book as well as Spotify, and Bookshop.org (US and UK) where available.

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Fiction Books by Nigerian Authors

1. Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

No list of Nigerian books can start anywhere else.

Set in the late nineteenth century, Things Fall Apart follows Okonkwo, a respected wrestler and influential member of the Igbo community of Umuofia.

Determined to distance himself from his father’s reputation as a lazy, unsuccessful man, Okonkwo builds his life around strength, status and traditional values.

Achebe’s novel is a landmark work of African literature, offering a perspective on colonialism that was largely absent from European accounts of the period.

Rather than presenting African society as a blank canvas waiting to be civilised, he gives readers a richly detailed portrait of a complex community with its own traditions, politics and belief systems.

About the author: Chinua Achebe (1930–2013) was a Nigerian novelist, poet and critic, widely regarded as one of the most influential African writers of the twentieth century. Things Fall Apart, published in 1958, has been translated into more than fifty languages and remains one of the most widely read African novels.

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2. The Palm-Wine Drinkard by Amos Tutuola

If you fancy something a little stranger, The Palm-Wine Drinkard is quite the adventure.

After the narrator’s beloved palm-wine tapster dies, he discovers that he can no longer enjoy his favourite drink.

Determined to bring him back, he sets off on a journey to the land of the dead, encountering a wonderfully bizarre collection of spirits, ghosts, monsters and supernatural creatures along the way.

Drawing heavily on Yoruba folklore and oral storytelling traditions, Tutuola creates a fantastical world in which the ordinary and extraordinary exist side by side.

The writing style is unconventional, with its own distinctive grammar and rhythm.

About the author: Amos Tutuola (1920–1997) was a Nigerian novelist who became internationally recognised for incorporating Yoruba folklore into his fiction. Published in 1952, The Palm-Wine Drinkard was his debut novel and attracted considerable attention in Britain, where it was championed by the poet Dylan Thomas.

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3. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta

Don’t be fooled by the title.

Set in colonial Lagos, The Joys of Motherhood follows Nnu Ego, a young Nigerian woman whose identity and sense of worth are closely tied to her ability to have children.

After the death of her first child and the breakdown of her first marriage, she moves to Lagos, where she begins a new life with her second husband.

Nnu Ego eventually becomes the mother of nine children, sacrificing almost everything to provide for them.

But as her children grow up and pursue opportunities beyond their traditional community, she discovers that motherhood doesn’t necessarily guarantee the love, security or fulfilment she had imagined.

Emecheta explores the expectations placed on women, the economic realities of raising a family and the tension between traditional values and modern life.

About the author: Buchi Emecheta (1944–2017) was a Nigerian-born British novelist whose work frequently explored women’s experiences, motherhood, gender inequality and migration. She wrote more than twenty books, including Second-Class Citizen and In the Ditch, and was appointed an OBE in 2005.

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4. Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

If you want to understand the history of modern Nigeria, Half of a Yellow Sun is an excellent place to start.

Set during the 1960s, the novel follows several characters whose lives become intertwined as Nigeria descends into civil war.

The story centres on twin sisters Olanna and Kainene, who come from a wealthy Nigerian family but find themselves on very different paths as political tensions escalate.

Through their relationships with a university professor, a British writer and a young houseboy, Adichie explores the devastating consequences of the Biafran War, which followed the attempted secession of southeastern Nigeria between 1967 and 1970.

The title refers to the half-sun symbol on the flag of the short-lived Republic of Biafra, making this an especially poignant read for anyone interested in Nigerian history.

About the author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (born 1977) is one of Nigeria’s best-known contemporary writers. Her debut novel, Purple Hibiscus, was followed by Half of a Yellow Sun, which won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2007. She’s also known for Americanah and her influential essay We Should All Be Feminists.

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5. Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Another Adichie novel, Americanah takes a closer look at identity, race, relationships and what it means to belong somewhere.

Ifemelu and Obinze are young lovers growing up in Nigeria, but their lives take different directions when Ifemelu moves to the United States to study.

There, she experiences life as a Black African woman in a country where race becomes an unavoidable part of everyday existence.

She starts a successful blog about race in America, exploring everything from hair and dating to the strange assumptions people make about immigrants.

Meanwhile, Obinze travels to Britain, where he experiences a very different side of immigration, working illegally and struggling to establish a life for himself.

It’s a clever, funny and thought-provoking novel; a great choice for anyone who has experienced living abroad or trying to reconcile different versions of home.

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6. Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Purple Hibiscus is narrated by Kambili, a fifteen-year-old girl growing up in a wealthy household in Enugu, Nigeria.

Her father, Eugene, is a successful businessman and respected member of the community, known for his generosity and religious devotion.

Behind closed doors, however, he is an authoritarian and deeply abusive parent, ruling his family through fear and rigid expectations.

As political unrest unfolds across Nigeria, the siblings begin to question their father’s authority and the world they’ve always known.

It’s a beautifully written coming-of-age novel that explores religious extremism, domestic abuse, family loyalty and the courage it takes to find your own voice.

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7. Stay With Me by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀

Set in Nigeria during the 1980s and 1990s, Stay With Me follows Yejide and Akin, a young married couple who have been unable to conceive a child.

Although they love each other, the pressure from their families and wider society becomes increasingly difficult to manage.

When Akin’s relatives arrange for him to take a second wife, the couple’s relationship begins to unravel, setting off a chain of secrets, betrayals and heartbreaking decisions.

It’s an intimate and emotionally powerful story about infertility, polygamy, gender expectations and love.

About the author: Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀ (born 1988) is a Nigerian novelist and short story writer. Stay With Me was her debut novel, shortlisted for the Baileys Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2017. Her second novel, A Spell of Good Things, was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2023.

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8. The Famished Road by Ben Okri

For a little magical realism, The Famished Road is an extraordinary journey into the spiritual and political landscape of Nigeria.

The novel is narrated by Azaro, an abiku or spirit child who exists between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

Set in an unnamed Nigerian city during the period surrounding independence, the story follows Azaro’s family as they struggle with poverty, political violence and the competing forces of a rapidly changing society.

But this is no ordinary coming-of-age story. Spirits appear in everyday life, strange transformations take place and the boundaries between dreams and reality are constantly shifting.

About the author: Ben Okri (born 1959) is a Nigerian-born poet and novelist. The Famished Road won the Booker Prize in 1991, making him the first Black writer to receive the award and, at the time, its youngest winner.

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Honourable Mention

My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite

For something a little more contemporary, and considerably darker, My Sister, the Serial Killer is a brilliantly entertaining thriller set in Lagos.

Korede is a practical, responsible nurse whose younger sister Ayoola is beautiful, charming and seemingly incapable of keeping a boyfriend alive.

In fact, Ayoola has just killed her third boyfriend, supposedly in self-defence, and once again Korede is called upon to help dispose of the evidence.

Korede has become rather good at cleaning up after her sister, but things become more complicated when Ayoola takes an interest in the handsome doctor Korede has secretly been in love with.

With its short chapters, sharp observations and wonderfully dark humour, this is a fast-paced read that explores sibling loyalty, family secrets and the expectations placed on women in contemporary Nigerian society.

About the author: Oyinkan Braithwaite (born 1988) is a Nigerian novelist and writer who grew up in Lagos and the UK. My Sister, the Serial Killer was her debut novel, shortlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction and longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2019.

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Play

Death and the King’s Horseman by Wole Soyinka

Based on a real historical incident in colonial Nigeria in 1946, Death and the King’s Horseman follows Elesin, the king’s horseman, who is expected to perform a ritual suicide following the death of the king.

According to Yoruba tradition, his death is necessary to ensure the king’s smooth passage into the afterlife and maintain the spiritual balance of the community.

However, the arrival of British colonial authorities interrupts the ritual, with the local colonial officer determined to prevent the suicide.

What follows is a tragic confrontation between two very different systems of belief, with devastating consequences.

About the author: Wole Soyinka (born 1934) is a Nigerian playwright, novelist, poet and political activist. In 1986, he became the first African writer to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. His other notable works include The Lion and the Jewel, The Trials of Brother Jero and Aké: The Years of Childhood.

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Non-Fiction Books About Nigeria

1. Aké: The Years of Childhood by Wole Soyinka

If you’ve enjoyed Soyinka’s writing, Aké is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the man behind the plays.

This autobiographical account follows Soyinka’s childhood in the Nigerian town of Aké, near Abeokuta, during the 1930s and early 1940s.

His childhood unfolds against the backdrop of British colonial rule, with traditional Yoruba customs existing alongside Christianity and Western education.

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2. The Man Died: Prison Notes by Wole Soyinka

A considerably darker account of Nigerian history comes from Soyinka’s prison memoir.

The Man Died documents his experience of imprisonment during the Nigerian Civil War, after he was arrested in 1967 for attempting to broker peace between the Nigerian government and the secessionist Biafran leadership.

Held in solitary confinement for much of his imprisonment, Soyinka endured isolation, censorship and psychological pressure, with his writing becoming an important means of resistance.

It’s an intense and thought-provoking read, offering a first-hand perspective on a particularly turbulent chapter in Nigerian history.

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3. There Was a Country: A Personal History of Biafra by Chinua Achebe

For anyone interested in understanding the Nigerian Civil War, this is one of the most important books to add to their reading list.

Published in 2012, There Was a Country combines memoir, historical commentary and personal reflection to tell the story of the Biafran War from Achebe’s perspective.

He explores the events leading up to the attempted secession of Biafra, the political tensions between different regions of Nigeria and the devastating humanitarian consequences of the conflict.

Achebe also reflects on his own experiences during the war, including his work as a diplomat for the Biafran government and the suffering he witnessed as the conflict unfolded.

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4. Looking for Transwonderland: Travels in Nigeria by Noo Saro-Wiwa

For a different kind of Nigerian reading experience, Looking for Transwonderland takes readers on a journey across the country.

Written by travel journalist Noo Saro-Wiwa, the book follows her travels through Nigeria as she attempts to reconnect with the country her father left behind.

Having grown up largely in England, Saro-Wiwa approaches Nigeria with a mixture of curiosity, affection and apprehension.

Along the way, she encounters everything from Nigerian bureaucracy and traffic chaos to traditional festivals, local food and the country’s extraordinary cultural diversity.

It’s an entertaining and insightful travel memoir that challenges familiar stereotypes about Nigeria while exploring the complicated relationship between a country and its diaspora.

About the author: Noo Saro-Wiwa is a Nigerian-British travel writer and journalist. She is the daughter of Ken Saro-Wiwa, the Nigerian writer and environmental activist who was executed by the Nigerian military government in 1995.

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5. We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

For something short but incredibly thought-provoking, We Should All Be Feminists is well worth a read.

Adapted from Adichie’s widely viewed 2012 TEDx talk, this short book explores what feminism means in the context of modern society.

Drawing on her experiences growing up in Nigeria and living in the United States, Adichie discusses gender expectations, cultural traditions, discrimination and the ways in which society teaches men and women to behave differently.

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More Books by Nigerian Authors

Looking over this list, what strikes me most is just how many different stories Nigerian literature has to tell.

There’s the folklore and magical realism of Tutuola and Okri, the historical and political weight of Achebe and Soyinka, and the intimate explorations of family, identity and relationships found in Adichie, Emecheta and Adébáyọ̀.

And while the country’s colonial history and the Biafran War feature prominently in many of these books, Nigerian literature is certainly not defined by conflict alone. There’s plenty of humour, romance, mystery, adventure and wonderfully strange storytelling to discover.

Don’t see your favourite Nigerian book on this list? Let me know in the comments!

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