Nigeria Prizes 2026 open for entries, featuring $100k awards for science, literature, new creative arts category

The Nigeria Prizes competition has launched its 2026 cycle with a call for entries across its three categories: Science and Innovation, Literature, and the newly introduced Creative Arts.

The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, with a value of $100,000, seeks worldwide submissions of pioneering digital and AI-based solutions.

These innovations must enhance systems, improve efficiency, and support decision-making in critical sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

This year retains the theme “Innovations in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Technologies for Development.”

For the Nigeria Prize for Literature, also worth $100,000, the 2026 focus is on poetry. Nigerian authors, both within the country and in the diaspora, are invited to submit poetry collections published from 2023 onwards.

Debuting this year is The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, beginning with a Documentary Film category under the theme ‘Identity’.

Valued at $20,000, it targets emerging Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35, challenging them to explore individual and cultural identities through rigorous storytelling and visual excellence.

Speaking on the launch, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, emphasized the relevance of the themes in a digitally evolving world.

She stated the prizes reinforce NLNG’s commitment to ideas and talent capable of shaping national outcomes, with the Creative Arts Prize recognizing creativity as a critical component of development.

Advisory Board chairs for the prizes also commented. Professor Barth Nnaji (Science and Innovation) called for scalable, practical solutions that move beyond theory.

Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (Literature and Creative Arts) expressed excitement for the new Creative Arts Prize, describing it as a significant addition to NLNG’s legacy of celebrating excellence across different forms.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

See author's posts