Ivorian-French writer Véronique Tadjo has won the 2025 Prix Ivoire for Francophone African Literature for her novel Je remercie la nuit (I Thank the Night), published by Mémoire d’Encrier in 2024. The award was announced on November 6, 2025, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, as reported by Writing Africa.

The jury, chaired by writer and playwright Werewere Liking-Gnépo, praised the novel for its examination of Côte d’Ivoire’s recent political turbulence. According to Writing Africa, the jury described encountering in the work “this screaming light that permeates the reader’s mind” and noted how Tadjo constructs a narrative about an Africa “moving forward like a drunken dancer constantly searching for their step.”

In her acceptance remarks, Tadjo explained that she wrote the novel to center the human cost of political crises, focusing on two students, Flora and Yasmina, who represent a generation “condemned to pay the price for the mistakes of their elders.” The book also draws connections with South Africa, exploring what African nations can learn from one another. Tadjo described her work as “first and foremost a love story, a celebration of the beauty of art, and a tribute to resilience.”

The Prix Ivoire, established in 2008 by Akwaba Culture, recognizes works in French by African writers or publishers from the continent and diaspora. The prize carries a two-million CFA francs cash award (approximately 3,000 euros), a trophy, and an invitation to the Geneva Book Fair. Previous laureates include Azza Filali (2024), Jennifer Richard (2023), and Hemley Boum (2013).

A special mention was given to Cameroonian journalist and writer Christian Eboulé for Le Testament de Charles, published by Afrédit in 2025. The award underscores the continued vitality of francophone African literature and its engagement with the continent’s complex political realities.