The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation has recorded its highest number of entries ever, with 237 submissions for the 2026 edition.
The entries were handed over to the Prize’s Advisory Board at a press conference in Lagos on Thursday, marking the start of the adjudication process.
The 22nd edition of the Prize is themed “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development”, a theme retained from 2025 after no entry met the standard for an award.
Speaking at the handover, Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, said the focus on digital technologies reflects global trends and Nigeria’s development needs.
“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 emphasised that the Prize maintains strict standards. She said the decision not to award a winner in 2025 was deliberate, to preserve the Prize’s credibility and set the benchmark for this year’s process.
Advisory Board Chairman Prof. Barth Nnaji said the handover was a decisive stage and reaffirmed that the Prize seeks innovations that translate into tangible socio-economic outcomes.
“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,” Nnaji stated.
He added that entries will be judged on novelty, depth, relevance, and demonstrable impact, with priority given to solutions addressing Nigeria’s real-world challenges, from digital health for rural populations to AI for cultural preservation.
Other board members are Chief Dr. Nike Akande and Prof. Baba Yusuf Abubakar.
Valued at $100,000, the Prize remains Africa’s most prestigious science award. The 2026 winner will be announced at a world press conference in September.