NLNG Launches $20,000 Creative Arts Prize to Empower Young Nigerian Filmmakers
Kathy Kyari
The Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG) has unveiled The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, a new category under its prestigious Nigeria Prizes initiative, aimed at empowering young Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35 to reshape the nation’s image through storytelling and documentary filmmaking.
At a press conference held in Lagos on Friday, NLNG announced that the newly introduced Prize seeks to inspire a new generation of storytellers to produce short documentary films that celebrate Nigeria’s identity and challenge global stereotypes through creativity, information, and visual excellence.
The Prize, which comes with a $20,000 award, will open for entries in February 2026 alongside The Nigeria Prize for Science and The Nigeria Prize for Literature.
Speaking during the unveiling, Sophia Horsfall, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to nurturing Nigeria’s creative capital as part of national development.
"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 said.
“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 added that the new Prize bridges the country’s dynamic youth population with its creative industry, amplifying Nigeria’s voice globally while promoting unity and understanding through film.
The Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, chaired by Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, will oversee the administration of the new category. She will be supported by Emeritus Professor Olu Obafemi and Professor Ahmed Yerima.
Professor Adimora-Ezeigbo described the initiative as a 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. It can be written, spoken, or filmed. It asks its creators to confront truth, explore memory, and translate experience into meaning,” she stated.
Emmy-winning documentary filmmaker Joel Benson, who serves as Technical Advisor to the Advisory Board, revealed that the Prize will be benchmarked against international film festival standards to ensure that winning entries can compete globally.
"The creative energy of Nigeria’s youth deserves a platform that matches its ambition,” Benson said, adding that only short documentaries of no more than 20 minutes will be accepted in the inaugural edition.
He noted that submissions will be judged based on storytelling craft, originality, production quality, and creativity.
The judging panel will be chaired by veteran actor and director Dr. Sam Dede, who lectures at the University of Port Harcourt. Other members include Adeola Aderonke, an award-winning film director, art historian, and producer, and George Ugwuja, a renowned film producer known for delivering high-quality work for international organisations.
The Prize cycle will conclude in October 2026 with the announcement of winners at the Grand Award Night sponsored by NLNG.
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