NLNG-led Nigeria Prize For Science Innovation Receives Record 237 Entries; As Adjudication Begins

The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation (NPS) has received a record 237 entries for its 2026 cycle, organisers announced at a handover-of-entries press conference on Thursday, as the Advisory Board and judging panel begin a rigorous adjudication process.

Dr. Sophia Horsfall, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at Nigeria LNG (NLNG), said the surge in submissions  more than double the 112 entries recorded in 2025 — followed an intentional push to deepen public engagement after last year’s decision to withhold the award.

“In this fourth revolution, digital infrastructure is as foundational to our survival as electricity or water,” Dr. Horsfall said, noting the Prize’s continued focus on “Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Information Communication Technology (ICT) or Digital Technologies for Development.” She described the decision last year to name no winner as a difficult but principled stand to uphold the Prize’s standards of excellence and credibility.

Dr. Horsfall outlined steps organisers took in response, including a nationwide roadshow, partnerships with scientific festivals and innovation hubs, and outreach to media and academic institutions. “We did not lower our standard but deepened engagement,” she said. “If you doubted our commitment before now, this proves that NLNG is deliberate in its commitment to inspiring a sustainable future.”

Professor Bart Nnaji, Chairman of the Prize’s Advisory Board, reaffirmed the independent, merit-based nature of the adjudication. “Our refusal to award the prize last year was not a dismissal of hard work; it was a statement that the Prize holds a standard of excellence,” he said.

“This year the scientific community has responded with even more energy.”
Prof. Nnaji described the selection process as meticulous and transparent, involving the Advisory Board and a panel of judges chosen for their integrity and expertise. He said the Prize seeks work that delivers real, tangible impact from digital health technologies for rural communities to AI applications for cultural preservation.

NLNG handed over the 2026 submissions to the Advisory Board, headed by Prof. Nnaji, who will now lead the adjudication. The Prize, first established in 2004, carries a $100,000 award and is positioned by organisers as a platform to elevate Nigeria’s scientific and technological innovations on the global stage.
Organisers said they expect the review, testing and adjudication period to involve intense scrutiny and healthy debate, and they pledged to announce results in the coming months.