The Advisory Board of the NLNG-sponsored Nigeria Prize for Science 2025 has declared a ‘no winner’ verdict, following the judges’ dissatisfaction with the overall quality of the entries received.
Now in its 21st year, the 2025 edition of the program was themed, “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development.”
After a rigorous adjudication process, four finalists emerged, out of which no contestant’s submission was deemed worthy of the NLNG’s $100,000 cash award. This 2025 outcome is not unprecedented. In previous years, the Nigeria Prize for Science was not awarded in 2005, 2007, and again during the hiatus between 2011 and 2016, as well as in 2021.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos on Wednesday, September 24, the Chairman of the Advisory Board, Prof. Barth Nnaji, explained that after a rigorous adjudication of the 112 entries submitted this year, none was deemed suitable for the Prize.
He stated that the decision, though difficult, reinforced the Board’s commitment to upholding the integrity of the selection process and protecting the reputation of the prestigious Nigeria Prize for Science.
Nnaji noted that the Prize is not just about rewarding scientific output, but also about safeguarding the values of creativity, originality, and scientific rigour that define truly outstanding work.
“To lower the bar would be to betray the trust of the public and diminish the legacy of the Prize itself,” Nnaji affirmed, while commending the courage and dedication of all who submitted entries.
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