Nigeria Prizes 2026 kicks Off with a Spotlight on AI and Poetry.

The organisers of The Nigeria Prizes have announced the opening of the 2026 competition cycle, with a focus on artificial intelligence, information and communication technology, poetry, and documentary filmmaking.

In a statement released on Sunday, the organisers said the 2026 edition further strengthens The Nigeria Prizes’ standing as Nigeria’s leading platform for celebrating excellence in science, innovation, literature, and the creative arts.

The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation will once again adopt the theme “Innovations in Information and Communication Technology, Artificial Intelligence, and Digital Technologies for Development”, following a no-award outcome in the 2025 cycle.

Speaking on the choice of themes, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said they were informed by rapid global and technological shifts. According to her, the 2026 themes reflect a world increasingly shaped by digital intelligence and creative expression, while reaffirming NLNG’s commitment to ideas and talents capable of delivering meaningful, long-term national impact.

Horsfall also noted that the introduction of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts underscores NLNG’s belief in creativity as a catalyst for national development.

Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, Professor Barth Nnaji, encouraged scientists and innovators to submit work that offers practical and scalable solutions. He stressed that the prize is rooted in the principle that scientific research must translate into real-world applications, particularly innovations with clear relevance to Nigeria’s development needs.

Valued at $100,000, the Science and Innovation Prize is open to scientists and innovators worldwide and seeks digital and AI-driven solutions that can enhance efficiency and decision-making across key sectors of Nigeria’s economy.

For the Nigeria Prize for Literature, the 2026 edition will centre on poetry. Nigerian poets at home and in the diaspora are eligible to submit poetry collections published from 2023 onwards. The literature prize is also valued at $100,000.

Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, described the Creative Arts Prize as a major milestone. She said it reflects the belief that excellence cuts across different forms of expression, including written, spoken, and visual storytelling.

She added that the poetry focus highlights the genre’s enduring role in social commentary and critical reflection.

The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts will make its debut with a documentary film category themed “Identity”. Valued at $20,000, the prize is open to emerging Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35 and aims to encourage storytelling that explores personal, communal, and cultural identities.