Femi Ashekun/
The Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science has declared that no winner will be named for the 2025 edition of the award, despite receiving a record 112 entries from scientists and innovators across the world.
The announcement was made in Lagos on Wednesday by the chair of the board, Professor Barth Nnaji, who explained that none of the submissions met the rigorous standards required for the prize.
The theme for this year’s competition was “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development,” a focus intended to encourage practical, scalable solutions that address development challenges through emerging technologies.
The judging panel, chaired by former Minister of Communication Technology, Dr. Omobola Johnson, shortlisted the submissions first to 11 and then to four, but eventually concluded that the entries fell short of the originality, demonstrable impact and practical readiness that the prize demands.
Nnaji said the decision, though disappointing, was necessary to preserve the integrity and credibility of the prize.
“The Prize exists to celebrate only the finest achievements. Where these qualities are absent, we cannot, in good conscience, bestow the Prize,” he stated, while urging innovators to treat the verdict as a call to raise standards.
The Nigeria Prize for Science, administered by the Nigeria Prizes Secretariat on behalf of Nigeria LNG (NLNG), is one of Africa’s most prestigious science awards and comes with a cash prize of 100,000 US dollars.
The board noted that the 2025 theme will be carried forward into the 2026 cycle, giving scientists and innovators another chance to present stronger, more practicable entries.
This is not the first time the prize has been withheld; organisers have in previous years declined to declare a winner when submissions failed to meet the required benchmark.
A formal statement containing the judges’ full report is expected to be published soon by NLNG and the Nigeria Prizes Secretariat.
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