The 2026 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited has attracted 237 entries, the highest number of submissions since the prize was established in 2004.
The entries were formally handed over to the Advisory Board during a press conference held in Lagos on Thursday, marking the beginning of the adjudication process.
The theme for the 2026 edition is “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development.”
The organisers retained the same theme used for the 2025 edition, which ended without a winner after the judges said none of the entries met the required standard for the $100,000 award.
Speaking at the press conference, Sophia Horsfall, general manager, external relations and sustainable development at NLNG, said the continued focus on digital technologies aligns with global trends and Nigeria’s development priorities.
She said the prize remains a platform for identifying solutions with practical relevance.
“In this fourth revolution, digital infrastructure is as foundational to our survival as electricity or water. For Nigeria, our economic sustainability depends on our ability to move beyond promising research and into undeniable innovation that delivers,” she said.
Horsfall added that Nigerian innovations must meet strict global standards.
“We believe that if a Nigerian discovery is to command global respect, it must withstand the highest levels of scrutiny. It is this conviction that guided the difficult decision seven months ago,” she said.
She also said only solutions with measurable impact and scalability would be considered during the current process.
According to her, the decision not to produce a winner in 2025 reflected the organisers’ commitment to maintaining standards.
Chairman of the Advisory Board, Barth Nnaji, described the handover as an important stage in the selection process, stressing that the credibility of the prize depends on strict standards of excellence.
“Our refusal to award the prize in 2025 was not a dismissal of the hard work of Nigerian innovators; rather, it reinforces that The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation holds a gold standard of excellence,” he stated.
Nnaji said the evaluation process would continue to focus on originality, relevance, depth and measurable impact.
He added that the prize is aimed at identifying innovations capable of solving real challenges in Nigeria.
“Our broader objective is to identify work that brings tangible impact to the challenges Nigeria faces, whether through digital health technologies that serve rural populations or the use of AI in preserving our cultural heritage and languages,” he said.
Other members of the Advisory Board are Nike Akande, a former minister of industry, and Yusuf Abubakar.
The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation is sponsored by NLNG and is regarded as one of Africa’s leading science prizes.
The 2025 edition received 112 entries, but the Advisory Board announced that no submission met the standards required for the award after a review process. Four finalists were shortlisted before the final decision was reached.
Previous editions in 2005, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2021 also ended without winners because entries did not satisfy the set criteria.
The winning entry for the 2026 edition will be announced at a world press conference later in the year.
