Sefi Atta

Sefi Atta (born 1964) is a Nigerian-American author. She is known for her novels, short stories, and plays, which explore themes of family, identity, politics, and social injustice in Nigeria.

Atta was born in Lagos, Nigeria, and educated in Nigeria, England, and the United States. She holds degrees from Birmingham University, England and Antioch University, Ohio, U.S.A. and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop.

Her debut novel, Everything Good Will Come (2005), received critical acclaim and won the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa. It chronicles the lives of two young women growing up in post-colonial Nigeria.

Other notable works include her short story collection News From Home (2010), which won the Noma Award for Publishing in Africa, and her novel Swallow (2010), which examines the complexities of drug trafficking and poverty in Lagos. Her plays include The Cost of Living, Hagel's Elephant, and The Naming Ceremony.

Atta's writing is characterized by its nuanced portrayal of Nigerian society, its strong female characters, and its unflinching exploration of difficult social issues. She has been recognized for her contribution to African literature and is considered an important voice in contemporary writing.