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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has unveiled The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, a new $20,000 award category under its flagship The Nigeria Prizes, to encourage young Nigerians to tell stories that project the nation’s image positively through film.
In a statement over the weekend, the company said the prize, which focuses on documentary filmmaking, is open to young Nigerian filmmakers between the ages of 18 and 35, with the aim to inspire creativity, promote excellence, and showcase Nigeria’s identity through powerful visual storytelling.
The prize cycle will begin in February 2026 with a call for entries, alongside The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature.
NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Sophia Horsfall, said the new category reflects the company’s commitment to supporting national development through creative expression.
“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,” Horsfall stated.
She said the initiative would help strengthen the country’s voice globally and provide young people with a platform to tell authentic stories that shape perceptions of Nigeria.
The Board chair for the Prize, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, said the new prize reinforces the values of excellence and integrity that have guided The Nigeria Prizes for more than two decades.
According to her, The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, with a focus on documentary filmmaking, is built on the belief that excellence knows no boundary as it can be written, spoken, or filmed.
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She said the prize challenges young documentary filmmakers to explore memory, interrogate experience, and translate reality into meaning.
Adimora-Ezeigbo also announced the appointment of Mr. Joel Kachi Benson as Technical Adviser to the Board.
She described Benson as a visionary filmmaker whose works have brought global recognition to Nigeria’s creative industry.
His debut film, In Bakassi (2018), according to her, was Nigeria’s first virtual reality documentary, while his 2019 work, Daughters of Chibok, won the Venice Lion for Best Virtual Reality Story, the first ever awarded to an African filmmaker.
“It is an honour for me and my distinguished colleagues, Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima, to administer this new and exciting addition to The Nigeria Prizes on behalf of NLNG.
“We are delighted to have Joel on board as Technical Adviser. His experience and international acclaim will enrich the prize process and inspire a new generation of Nigerian filmmakers to dream even bigger,” she added.
On his part, Benson said the competition will adhere to international film festival standards to ensure the quality of entries and global competitiveness. He noted that only short documentaries of not more than 20 minutes will be accepted for the inaugural edition, while entries will be judged on storytelling, originality, creativity, and production quality.
The judging panel will be chaired by veteran actor and director, Dr. Sam Dede of the University of Port Harcourt. Other members include award-winning film director and art historian, Adeola Aderonke, and renowned producer, George Ugwuja. The prize cycle will end in October 2026, when winners will be announced at a Grand Award Night sponsored by NLNG.
