The first-ever nominees for The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts (NPCA), sponsored by the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas company (NLNG), have been unveiled, with 11 documentary filmmakers advancing from 98 submissions in the inaugural edition of the US$20,000 prize.
The Prize is open to Nigerian creatives aged 18 to 35. For its maiden edition, entrants were invited to interpret the theme “Identity” through documentary stories about Nigeria, its people, communities, cultures and evolving sense of identity.
The unveiling places the filmmakers behind the 11 shortlisted works one step closer to becoming the first winner in the history of the Prize.
The eleven nominees and their documentaries are: Blessing Bulus (Mi Tazi), Jessica Chinyere (Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women), Unmi Bukar (No Food for Lazy Men), Dominic Fayenuwo (Àkúdàáyà), Tosin Keshinro (Arugba: The Weight of Purity), Ibrahim Khalil Bala (Argungu Fishing Festival), Peter Oghenetega (Beyond Tarkwa Bay), Joseph Okulaja (Calabar My Calabar), Feranmi Abiola (Mara Mania), Abraham Ayodele Aiwyuse (Okrika), and Aimalohi Ojeamiran (Far From Home).
Announcing the longlist, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chair of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, said the breadth and quality of the 98 submissions reinforced the view that Nigeria has a deep pool of emerging creative talent, adding that young filmmakers are increasingly confident in telling the country’s stories.
She said the documentaries offered thoughtful and varied interpretations of identity, engaging with the people, cultures, communities and lived experiences that shape contemporary Nigeria. Collectively, she noted, the works demonstrate the power of documentary filmmaking to preserve important narratives, deepen understanding, and present the complexity of the Nigerian experience through the perspectives of a new generation.
“For a maiden edition, 98 entries represent a strong vote of confidence in the Prize and in the ability of young Nigerians to tell their own stories,” she said. “These 11 nominees earned their place in the next stage through compelling and thoughtful interpretations of the theme, ‘Identity.'”
The 11 documentaries will now proceed to the next phase of adjudication ahead of the announcement of the winner at NLNG’s Grand Award Night in October 2026. The winning documentary will become the first work to receive The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.
The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts is a wholly NLNG-sponsored initiative established to identify, recognise and promote outstanding creative work by young Nigerians. Valued at US$20,000, the Prize provides a platform for emerging documentary filmmakers to present original Nigerian stories and receive recognition for their work.