Stakeholders in Nigeria’s science and innovation ecosystem are calling for a renewed focus on research and innovation that delivers practical solutions to national challenges, emphasising the urgency for scientific breakthroughs that can drive development.
The message was delivered during the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science (NPS) Roadshow, organised by NPS in partnership with Ventures Park, in Abuja. Professor Bart Nnaji, chairman of the Advisory Board for Science, described Nigeria as being at a critical juncture where innovation must evolve from a luxury into a necessity, particularly as the nation grapples with food insecurity, industrial decline, public health crises, and the accelerating effects of climate change.
“Science and technology are central to securing Nigeria’s future,” Nnaji said. “Knowledge must translate into solutions that improve lives and livelihoods. The Nigeria Prize for Science serves as a national rallying point for researchers and innovators whose work can reshape technological advancement and societal wellbeing.”
Established in 2004 by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), the Nigeria Prize for Science was designed to stimulate scientific research and encourage solutions to pressing social challenges in areas such as agriculture, energy, healthcare, and environmental protection. Nnaji noted that the Prize evaluates entries based on measurable impact, scalability, long-term value, innovation, commercialisation potential, academic quality, and patent strength.
For the 2025 cycle, 112 submissions were received and rigorously assessed. However, the Advisory Board determined that none met the benchmark required for the award.
“When a year produces no winner, it is not because there is no intelligence in Nigeria or the world,” Nnaji explained. “It is because the Advisory Board chooses not to lower the bar. Scientific recognition must be earned.” He urged participants to view the outcome not as discouragement but as an opportunity for refinement, noting that many major breakthroughs in science have emerged only after repeated revisions and persistence.
Nnaji also highlighted areas of growth in Nigeria’s scientific ecosystem, including data science, materials engineering, genetics, medical devices, bio-innovation, and energy storage. Yet he stressed the need for more practical and commercially viable outcomes. He further identified a persistent gap between research and commercialisation, calling for stronger collaboration between universities and industry, improved peer-review practices, and interdisciplinary research capable of addressing complex national problems.
In her opening remarks, Dr. Sophia Horsfall, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development at NLNG, described the roadshow as a call to action for Nigerian scientists, researchers, and innovators to leverage the Nigeria Prize for Science as a platform for national and global recognition. She noted that for more than two decades, the Prize has celebrated Nigerian scientists whose work delivers real-world solutions across healthcare, energy, agriculture, climate change, artificial intelligence, and other critical sectors.
Horsfall added that science plays a decisive role in shaping national competitiveness, job creation, infrastructure development, and environmental sustainability, aligning with NLNG’s vision of improving lives sustainably. Abuja was chosen as the starting point of the roadshow because of its symbolic role as Nigeria’s centre of policy and governance, as well as the presence of researchers working on projects with strong development potential.
Closing the event, Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, Manager of Corporate Communication and Sustainable Development at NLNG, thanked participants and partners for their engagement, noting that the discussions underscored Nigeria’s vast innovation potential. She urged broader participation in future editions of the Prize and called on researchers, universities, and innovation hubs to mobilise their best ideas and pursue deeper collaboration.
Palmer-Ikuku stressed that the Nigeria Prize for Science is entering a new phase aimed at inspiring bold thinking, relevance, and sustainability in scientific research, emphasising that while standards remain high, the process is credible and Nigerian science deserves global recognition.