Acclaimed Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been named the first-ever recipient of the Felix Jud Prize for Defiant Thinking, a German literary honour celebrating courage, intellectual resistance, and advocacy for freedom of expression.
The award will be presented during the 15th Harbourfront Literature Festival at the iconic Elbphilharmonie concert hall in Hamburg, Germany, on September 20, 2025.
Chosen by a jury of distinguished cultural figures including Reinhold Beckmann, Jonathan Landgrebe, Jo Lendle and others, Adichie was recognised for her powerful literary voice and unwavering commitment to justice, equality, and human rights.
This latest accolade adds to her impressive portfolio of global honours, which includes the MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Adichie is globally celebrated not only for her novels but also for her influential talks, essays, and cultural contributions.
The Felix Jud Prize is awarded to individuals in literature, arts, and culture who embody the values of independent thought, freedom and civil courage.
It is named after Felix Jud, a German bookseller and political activist who famously resisted the Nazi regime by using his bookstore as a hub for dissent and intellectual resistance.
The award is backed by the Felix Jud Friends Association (Felix Jud Freunde e.V.) and the Felix Jud Bookstore, which remains a literary landmark in Hamburg.
At 48, Adichie continues to inspire audiences worldwide, not only through her books but also through her TED talks, her influence in global pop culture, and her unapologetic voice on identity, feminism, and freedom.
Her work has been sampled by artists like Beyoncé and has influenced designers and creatives around the world.
Through this prize, Germany honours a writer whose work challenges the status quo, sparks dialogue, and encourages a global culture of defiance in the face of oppression.
