On 29 January 2026, Nigeria LNG Limited held a press conference in Lagos bringing together advisory board members, leading figures from the literary, scientific, and creative communities, and media representatives for an event it called “The Nigeria Prizes: The Unveiling.” The occasion introduced new logos for The Nigeria Prize for Literature, The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, and officially launched a brand new prize category: The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts. The rebranding marks the most significant repositioning of these prizes since their establishment in 2004, and signals that NLNG is thinking ambitiously about where Nigeria’s most prestigious intellectual awards go from here.

The redesigned logos are each built around distinct visual languages. The Nigeria Prize for Literature’s new identity is rendered in layered green forms that evoke pages in motion with fluid curves meant to encompass the full range of literary forms: fiction, poetry, drama, and prose. According to the Nigeria Prizes, in Creative Arts, a bold spiral captures rhythm, momentum and originality. A symbol of ideas in motion and creativity without limits.

For the literary community, the most exciting development may be the new Creative Arts prize. Focused for its inaugural edition on documentary filmmaking, with identity as its theme, it is open to Nigerian filmmakers between the ages of 18 and 35, and carries a $20,000 cash award. Entries open in February 2026 and close in April 2026, accepting short non-fiction films not exceeding 20 minutes. The two flagship prizes — for Literature (which this year focuses on poetry collections published from 2023 onwards) and for Science and Innovation (themed around AI, ICT, and digital technologies) — each remain worth $100,000, ranking them among the most valuable single-discipline prizes on the continent.

Speaking at the unveiling, NLNG’s General Manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, described the new visual identities as a strategic repositioning of the prizes to ensure sustained relevance and global resonance, affirming that literature, science, and innovation are not optional pursuits but foundational pillars for national progress. Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Advisory Board Chair for both the Literature Prize and the new Creative Arts Prize, described the new category as a significant addition to NLNG’s over two-decade legacy, noting that it reaffirms a belief that excellence transcends form, whether written, spoken, or filmed. Writers, scientists, and young filmmakers are encouraged to visit the official Nigeria Prizes website for full submission guidelines.