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LAGOS – The Nigeria Prizes competition officially kicked off on Sunday with Call for Entries for the 2026 cycle. This year’s edition focuses on 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 rewarding excellence in science and innovation, literature, and the creative arts.
This year, The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation retain the theme “Innovations in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Technologies for Development” following a “no winner” verdict of the 2025 cycle.
Speaking on the commencement of the prizes cycle, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, emphasised the relevance of the selected themes in a rapidly evolving global context. For Science, she noted that extensive research has demonstrated the immense potential of ICT, artificial intelligence, and digital technologies in reshaping industries and societies.
“The themes for the 2026 cycle reflect the realities of a world being reshaped by digital intelligence and creative expression. Through The Nigeria Prizes, NLNG continues to reinforce its commitment to innovative ideas and talents that are rigorous, relevant, and capable of shaping long-term national outcomes. The introduction of the Creative Arts Prize further strengthens this commitment by recognising creativity as a critical component of development”.
Also speaking on the Call for Entries, the Chairman Advisory Board of the Science and Innovation Prize, Prof. Barth Nnaji, called on scientists and innovators from all over the world to submit quality entries that transcend theoretical concepts and demonstrate deployable, scalable and practical solutions.
“The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation is founded on the principle that science must move beyond abstraction into solutions that work. The Prize recognises innovations grounded in rigorous research, demonstrating technical maturity and clear potential for application within Nigeria’s development landscape. We are looking for works that are inventive, credible, scalable, and capable of delivering measurable outcomes,” Prof Nnaji stated.
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