The Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa was a writing award given every two years to the best literary work created by an African author. The prize, worth $20,000, was started in 2005 and managed by the Lumina Foundation. It was named after Wole Soyinka, Africa’s first person to win a Nobel Prize in Literature.

The prize has not been given out since 2018, though no official explanation has been shared. In June 2025, a Nigerian businessman named Olabode Opeseitan wrote an article in The Nation, asking the governors of Lagos and Ogun states—where Wole Soyinka was born and lives—to help fund the prize.

Wole Soyinka said about the prize: "This is a prize for all of Africa. We see it as our own Nobel Prize in Africa. It brings Africans together, honors Africa’s smartest people, and brings African leaders, artists, and thinkers to judge and celebrate the work. I am proud to be part of this prize because it honors knowledge and celebrates Africa’s many cultures and people."

A group of judges from around the world chose the winner, and Wole Soyinka presented the prize at a ceremony in Lagos. Works entered had to be written in English or French. At first, any type of writing was allowed, but beginning in 2014, each edition focused on one genre: drama in 2014, poetry in 2016, and prose in 2018.

The prize was supported by past sponsors, including the Nigerian telecommunications company Glo, which helped fund it for three years.