Professor Bart Nnaji, chairman of the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, has explained the process used in selecting winners of the $100,000 award.
He spoke on Thursday during the handover of entries ceremony for the 2026 edition of the prize held in Lagos.
According to him, entries go through detailed assessment by the Advisory Board and a panel of judges selected based on integrity and expertise.
“I want to give you some insight into what happens behind the scenes. People often ask, “How do you choose a winner for a $100,000 prize?” The answer is: with extreme detail. The Advisory Board work hand-in-hand with a Panel of Judges. who we have invited based on their integrity and expertise in their respective fields.
“We provide you with our absolute assurance that this is a meticulous adjudication process. It is independent, unbiased, and strictly merit based. We look at every entry through a lens of fairness, balance, and equity.
“It is this consistency, maintained year after year, that has given this Prize its enduring credibility. So, that when someone wins The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, the world knows they have truly earned it,” he said.
Nnaji said the focus theme for the past two years, Innovations in Artificial Intelligence, Information Communication Technology and Digital Technologies for Development, remains important to national development.
“The theme we have focused on for the past two years, Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Information Communication Technology (ICT) or Digital Technologies for Development, is perhaps the most critical topic of our time.
“In the world of science, we do not just see gadgets or software. We see these scientific and innovative aspects as the primary drivers of what we call a socio technical transformation. These technologies are the keys to unlocking economic sustainability and solving the very real challenges that face our people every day,” he said.
He also addressed last year’s outcome when no winner emerged after the evaluation process.
“I want to take a moment to address the elephant in the room regarding last year’s cycle. As many of you know, last year, after a very long and rigorous review, the Advisory Board made the difficult decision that there would be no winner. Our refusal to award the prize was not a dismissal of the hard work of Nigerian innovators. Rather, it was a statement that The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation holds a standard of excellence,” he added.
He disclosed that this year’s edition recorded the highest number of entries since the prize began in 2004.
“Because we believe so much in the importance of this theme, the Advisory Board decided we should go at it again.
“And today, I am absolutely thrilled to announce that the Nigerian scientific community has responded with even more energy. This year, we have beaten last year’s record, and all other records since the inception of the prize in 2004. The sheer volume of entries we have received is a testament to the fact that the spirit of innovation in Nigeria is thriving,” he said.
The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation is sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited and carries a $100,000 reward. It is now in its 22nd year and is regarded as one of Africa’s leading science prizes.
At the ceremony, Nigeria LNG Limited said 237 entries were received for the 2026 edition, the highest since the prize started, surpassing the 112 entries recorded in 2025.
Last year, 112 entries were received, with 54 considered valid. Ten were shortlisted before four finalists emerged, but no winner was selected as none met the required standard.
Bart Nnaji is a Nigerian professor of engineering and energy expert who previously served as Minister of Science and Technology in 1993 and later as Minister of Power in 2011. He has also served as Special Adviser to the President on Power and chaired the Presidential Task Force on Power. He is the founder of Geometric Power Limited and has been involved in electricity reform and private sector power development in Nigeria.
