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Her novel, Half of a Yellow Sun, secured her the prize once won by legendary novelist, Chinua Achebe.

The jury, presided over by the Nobel laureate VS Naipaul, praised Ngozi-Adichie for writing "pages full of domestic mercy and love for her land, portraying living affections in the scenery of the difficult post-colonial years."

The Nonino Prize, a literary prize administered in Italy, but reserved for foreign nationals, was established in 1984. The jury also included, John Banville, Peter Brook and Claudio Magris.

There are four Nonino Prize categories, the Nonino Risit d'Aur Prize, won by Malgari di Carnia, the Nonino Prize, won by Silvia Perez-Vitoria, the Master of Our Time Nonino prize won by Hugh Thomas, and the International Nonino Prize, won by Ngozi-Adichie, who was in Nigeria late last year for a creative writing workshop she holds in collaboration with Fidelity Bank Plc.

The international Nonino prize carries a cash prize of €8,000. The 2009 prizes will be awarded on Saturday January 31, 2009 at the Distillerie Nonino in Udinese, Italy.