- NLNG General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall (middle), and the Manager, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku (second left), alongside others during the unveiling of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts
By Anthony Nwachukwu
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) says it is targeting young Nigerians with its newly unveiled The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, aimed at inspiring them to tell stories that redefine the nation’s image through creativity and visual excellence.
Announcing the new $20,000 price category under its sponsored The Nigeria Prizes, the company said the category will target emerging Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35, to challenge them on documentary films that celebrate the nation’s identity and reshape global perceptions of Nigeria through information,
According to the NLNG General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, the prize cycle will commence in February 2026 with a call for entry, alongside The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Horsfall said the initiative reflects NLNG’s deep commitment to nurturing creative capital as part of national development, according to a statement from the Manager, Corporate Communication and Public Affairs, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku.
“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,” Horsfall explained.
She added the prize symbolises NLNG’s belief that with storytelling in nation-building, “every frame, every voice, and every perspective matters in the shaping of who we are and who we aspire to be.”
She further 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.
Meanwhile, the company announced that for sustainability, the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, will also administer the new category, assisted by Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima.
For Professor Adimor-Ezeigbo, the prize marks a significant milestone in NLNG’s over two-decade journey of celebrating excellence across disciplines.
According to her, “the Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts is a reaffirmation of our belief that excellence knows no boundary. It can be written, spoken, or filmed. It asks its creators to confront truth, explore memory, and translate experience into meaning.”
She emphasised that the prize would align with the overarching strategy of the prizes to reward excellence.
Likewise, Technical Advisor to the Advisory Board and Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker, Joel Benson, said the prize would be benchmarked against international film festival standards.
This, he noted, is to ensure that winning entries can compete globally, adding that Nigerian youth’s creative energy deserves a platform that matches its ambition.
Benson further explained that only short documentaries not exceeding 20 minutes will be accepted in the inaugural edition, while entries will be judged on storytelling craft, originality, production quality and creativity, among other metrics.
Chairing the panel of judges is veteran actor, director and senior lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Sam Dede. Also on the panel are award-winning film director, art historian, scriptwriter and producer, Adeola Aderonke, and 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.
