Chimamanda Adichie (born 1977) is Nigeria's most celebrated contemporary writer. Her novels include "Purple Hibiscus" (Commonwealth Prize), "Half of a Yellow Sun" (Orange Prize), and "Americanah." Her TED talks "We Should All Be Feminists" and "The Danger of a Single Story" have millions of views. "We Should All Be Feminists" was sampled by Beyoncé and adopted by Swedish schools. She has received MacArthur Fellowship and Guggenheim Fellowship. Unlike earlier African writers confronting colonialism, Adichie writes about contemporary Africa with confidence, addressing universal themes while maintaining African specificity. She represents a new generation claiming space in world literature.


LITERARY POWERHOUSE:
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novels—Purple Hibiscus, Half of a Yellow Sun, and Americanah—trace Nigeria’s political history, civil war trauma, migration, and the nuances of love. She pairs richly drawn characters with incisive social critique, earning the Orange Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, and Women’s Prize for Fiction “Winner of Winners.”

GLOBAL FEMINIST VOICE:
Her TED talks The Danger of a Single Story and We Should All Be Feminists reshaped conversations about identity and gender. The latter became a manifesto taught in schools worldwide and was sampled by Beyoncé on Flawless, bringing African feminist thought into mainstream pop culture.

MENTORSHIP AND ADVOCACY:
Adichie founded the Farafina Trust Creative Writing Workshop to mentor emerging African authors who have since published globally. She campaigns for reading culture in Nigeria, donates libraries, and funds scholarships at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. Her commencement addresses at Harvard, Yale, and Wellesley challenge graduates to pursue empathy and integrity.

CULTURAL BRIDGE-BUILDER:
Living between Lagos and the United States, Adichie curates the “Wear Nigerian” movement, spotlighting Nigerian designers on global red carpets. She speaks openly about democracy, human rights, and the role of storytelling in healing divided societies, making her a sought-after commentator on African and global affairs.

FAST FACTS:
- Born 15 September 1977 in Enugu; raised in Nsukka, Enugu State.
- Education: University of Nigeria (medicine/ pharmacy foundation year), Eastern Connecticut State University (BS), Johns Hopkins University (MA), Yale University (MFA).
- Awards: MacArthur Fellowship (2008), PEN Pinter Prize (2018), Women's Prize Winner of Winners (2020).
- Signature initiatives: Farafina Trust Workshop, Wear Nigerian campaign, global keynote speeches on feminism and storytelling.