About

Jessica Aike is a British-Nigerian writer currently in her twenties. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Ms Aike relocated to London, England, at the age of two, where she was raised and currently resides.

She often jests that she entered the world with a notebook and pen in one hand and a book in the other. Her most treasured childhood recollections are tied to her love of reading, an early passion that inspired the numerous short stories, stage plays, and non-fiction pieces she has since crafted. As her dedication matured, she recognised a deep-seated conviction guiding her towards a literary career, citing her secondary school English teacher’s brilliant instruction as a defining influence during those formative years.

As a teenager, Ms Aike began using social media to initiate conversations that were often uncomfortable but necessary. Over the course of twelve years, she has campaigned for a multitude of issues, with a special focus on dismantling the culture of silence surrounding the sexual, physical, and verbal abuse of children.

Her short story, ‘Multiple Faces of Keke’, was selected for publication by Down in the Dirt Magazine in September 2023 and officially released in February 2024 within their 216th volume, titled Where Icarus Went. She published her debut book, This Thing in My Head, in February 2025. Later that year, in December 2025, her short story ‘On Tuesday’ was nominated for the Caine Prize for African Writing; however, it was subsequently withdrawn due to an administrative word-count technicality. This Thing in My Head went on to be nominated for The African Laureate Award in February 2026, ultimately winning the award for best non-fiction and literary excellence the following month.