Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has opened entries for the 2027 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, challenging young Nigerian filmmakers to explore untold stories and present fresh perspectives on the country under the theme, “Nigeria Unseen”.
The competition, which follows its inaugural edition in 2026, seeks documentary films that highlight lesser-known aspects of Nigerian life, including everyday experiences and familiar subjects often overlooked in mainstream storytelling.
The Prize offers a cash award of $20,000 and is open to Nigerian filmmakers aged 18 to 35, irrespective of their country of residence.
NLNG also announced the appointment of a three-member Advisory Board to provide strategic direction, oversee the administration of the Prize and safeguard the integrity of its adjudication process.
The Board is chaired by award-winning filmmaker and producer, Femi Odugbemi, with journalist and broadcaster Kadaria Ahmed and documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson as members.
Speaking on the call for entries, NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said the initiative reflects the company’s commitment to supporting Nigerian creative talent and promoting quality filmmaking.
She said the 2027 edition would encourage filmmakers to explore stories that broaden public understanding of Nigeria and its people.
“Our support for The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts reflects our confidence in Nigerian talent and our recognition of the work that goes into making good, structured content.
“Documentary filmmaking demands time, research and the patience to understand a subject before presenting it to an audience. With ‘Nigeria Unseen’, we are encouraging filmmakers to pursue stories that deserve closer attention and tell them with care,” Horsfall said.
She added that the Prize would provide deserving productions wi recognition while introducing audiences to aspects of Nigeria they might not otherwise encounter.
In his remarks, Odugbemi said the theme offered filmmakers considerable freedom in selecting subjects, stressing that compelling documentaries could emerge from re-examining familiar places and experiences from fresh perspectives.
According to him, the challenge is not necessarily to discover a remote location or an entirely unfamiliar subject but to ask questions that deepen understanding of everyday experiences.
“An unfamiliar subject is a starting point, but the filmmaker still has to find the story and establish why it matters. That requires research, access and the trust of the people whose lives are being documented,” he said.
Odugbemi urged entrants to challenge their assumptions and allow people featured in their documentaries to tell their stories authentically, noting that filmmaking choices should reflect the complexity of their experiences.
The Advisory Board brings together expertise in filmmaking, journalism, creative education and media leadership.
Odugbemi, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zuri24 Media, is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and co-founder of the iREP International Documentary Film Festival. He also served as pioneer Academy Director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory in West Africa.
Ahmed is Executive Director of Daria Media and Managing Director of Radio Now 95.3 FM. She previously worked as a Senior Producer at the BBC and Editor of NEXT newspaper.
Benson, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, is recognised for his work in documentary and immersive storytelling. His virtual reality documentary, Daughters of Chibok, won the Venice Lion for Best Immersive Story at the 2019 Venice International Film Festival.
He also co-directed Madu, which won the Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary award at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmy Awards.
NLNG said the Board’s mandate would emphasise originality, artistic quality and compelling storytelling while ensuring a transparent and independent competition that responds to developments in Nigeria’s creative industry.
The submission portal for the 2027 competition will open on February 1, 2027, with entries closing at 11:59 p.m. West African Time on April 30, 2027.
Entries must be submitted through www.filmfreeway.com. Eligible documentaries must have been produced between January 2026 and April 2027 and must not exceed 20 minutes in running time.
Further details on eligibility criteria, film specifications and submission requirements are available at www.thenigeriaprizes.org.
The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts recognises Nigerian filmmaking talent and the role of documentary films in preserving the country’s stories and presenting them to wider audiences.
The initiative, alongside The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation, forms part of NLNG’s commitment to recognising and rewarding excellence in the arts and sciences.
