NLNG targets young Nigerians with The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts

By Editor

NLNG has stated that The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts will target young Nigerians with the aim of inspiring them to tell stories that redefines the nation’s image. At a press conference in Lagos, the gas company that has become a friend of the culture community announced that the new prize under The Nigeria Prizes bouquet will target emerging Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35. The company also stated further that the prize will challenge young Nigerians to produce documentary films that celebrate the nation’s identity and reshape global perceptions of Nigeria through information, creativity, and visual excellence.

The new prize cycle will commence in February 2026 with a call for entry, alongside the other prizes, The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature. The prize comes with a monetary reward of USD$20,000. The theme for the inaugural edition is ‘Identity’.

While speaking at the press conference, the General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, NLNG, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, explained that the initiative reflects NLNG’s deep commitment to nurturing creative capital as part of national development.

According to her, “The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts is an invitation for young Nigerians to own their narrative, to show the world our complexity, our brilliance, and our resilience through film. This prize symbolises NLNG’s belief that storytelling is nation-building that every frame, every voice, and every perspective matters in the shaping of who we are and who we aspire to be.”

She emphasised that the initiative bridges Nigeria’s dynamic youth population and the broader creative industry, strengthening the nation’s voice globally while promoting unity and understanding through storytelling.

The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, will administer the new category. She will be supported by Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima. Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo noted that the prize marks a significant milestone in NLNG’s over two-decade journey of celebrating excellence across disciplines.

“The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts is a reaffirmation of our belief that excellence knows no boundary,” she said. “It can be written, spoken, or filmed. It asks its creators to confront truth, explore memory, and translate experience into meaning,” emphasised that the prize would align with the overarching strategy of the prizes to reward excellence.

An Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker and Technical Advisor to Adivsory Board, Joel Benson, stated that the prize would be benchmarked against international film festival standards, ensuring that winning entries can compete globally. He added that the creative energy of Nigeria’s youth deserves a platform that matches its ambition. Benson explained further that only short documentaries of no more than 20 minutes will be accepted in the inaugural edition, adding that entries will be judged on storytelling craft, originality, production quality and creativity, among other metrics.

He revealed that the judging panel will be chaired by veteran actor, director and senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Sam Dede. He will be joined by an award-winning film director, art historian, scriptwriter, Adeola Aderonke and a renowned film producer, George Ugwuja, who has delivered high-quality work for international organisations.

The prize cycle will end in October 2026 with the announcement of the final verdict at the Grand Award Night, sponsored by NLNG.

Technical Adviser to Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts (NPCA), Joel Kachi Benson (left); NLNG’s Manager, Corporate Communication & Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku; NLNG’s GM, External Relations & Sustainable Development, Dr. Sophia Horsfall and Chairperson, Advisory Board, Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (Chairman) and member, Emeritus Prof. Olu Obafemi, at the unveiling of the new prize on documentary filmmaking on Friday… in Lagos