General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, Sophia Horsfall, has said that 237 entries have been received for the NLNG 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation (NPS) as against 112 entries received in 2025.
Speaking at the NPS Handover of entries press conference in Lagos on Thursday, Horsfall stated that the entries for 2026 are the highest entries received since the competition started.
She said, “This year, we have received 237 entries, surpassing 112 entries received in 2025, making this the highest number in the history of the Prize.
“If you doubted our commitment before now, this proves that NLNG is deliberate in its commitment, inspiring a sustainable future. It proves that there is a hunger in this country for research, innovation, discovery, and recognition.
“It further proves that we need platforms, such as the Prize, that elevate scientific endeavour, transforming opportunities and ideas into impact.
“We have provided the platform, but the credibility of the Prize rests on the integrity of its process and the quality of the works it attracts. A prize is only as valuable as the standards it upholds.”
She added, “We are back this year with the same theme: Innovations in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Information Communication Technology (ICT) or Digital Technologies for Development. “To some people, repeating a
The e might seem like a step backwards. To us, it is a deliberate double down on the most defining areas of our time.
“None of this progress would be possible without the dedicated efforts of our esteemed Advisory Board. Their continued leadership and excellence in administering the prize are something we deeply appreciate.
“It is our honour to hand over the 2026 entries for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.”
Chairman, Advisory Board, the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, Prof Bart Nnaji, said the theme they 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 the time.
He opined that in the world of science, they do not just see gadgets or software; they see these scientific and innovative aspects as the primary drivers of what they call a socio-technical transformation.
According to him, these technologies are the keys to unlocking economic sustainability and solving the very real challenges that people face every day.
“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 & Innovation holds a standard of excellence.
“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.”
Manager, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, NLNG, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, recalled that the Prize was established in 2004.
She said the formal handover of the 2026 entries to the Prize’s Advisory Board marked the beginning of the search for Nigeria’s most innovative scientific mind, under the theme “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development.”
She noted that the theme was a deliberate retention from the 2025 edition, which concluded without a winner after no entry met the required standard for selection.
Palmer-Ikuku said: “Other members of the Board are Chief Dr Dre Akande, a two-time former Minister of Industry, and Professor Baba Yusuf Abubakar, a professor of quantitative genetics and animal breeding.
“The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, now in its 22nd year, is valued at $100,000 and remains arguably Africa’s most prestigious science award. The winning entry for the 2026 edition will be unveiled at a world press conference scheduled for September.”
