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The Nigeria Prizes have opened the Call for Entries for the 2026 cycle, with a focus on Artificial Intelligence and ICT, Poetry, and Documentary Filmmaking.
This year’s edition features Artificial Intelligence and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation; Poetry for The Nigeria Prize for Literature; and Documentary Filmmaking for the newly introduced The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.
The Prizes remain Nigeria’s foremost platform for recognising excellence in science, innovation, literature, and the creative arts.
The Science and Innovation Prize retains the theme “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Technologies for Development”, following a no-winner outcome in 2025.
Speaking on the launch, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the themes reflect a world being reshaped by digital intelligence and creative expression.
She added that the Creative Arts Prize strengthens NLNG’s commitment to supporting ideas and talents capable of delivering long-term national impact.
Chairman of the Advisory Board for the Science and Innovation Prize, Prof. Barth Nnaji, called on scientists and innovators worldwide to submit practical, scalable solutions, stressing that the Prize rewards innovations grounded in rigorous research with real-world application potential.
Valued at USD $100,000, the Science and Innovation Prize is open globally and seeks digital and AI-based solutions that enhance efficiency and decision-making across key sectors of Nigeria’s economy.
For the Nigeria Prize for Literature, poets are in focus for 2026. Nigerian authors at home and in the diaspora are invited to submit poetry collections published from 2023. The Prize, also worth USD $100,000, recognises literature’s role in social reflection and collective memory.
Chairman of the Advisory Boards for Literature and Creative Arts, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, described the Creative Arts Prize as a significant addition to NLNG’s legacy, noting its emphasis on truth, memory, and lived experience.
The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts debuts with Documentary Film under the theme “Identity”. Valued at USD $20,000, it targets Nigerian filmmakers aged 18–35 to produce documentaries exploring personal, communal, and cultural identities.
