NLNG announces $20,000 documentary prize for young Nigerian filmmakers

NLNG announces $20,000 documentary prize for young Nigerian filmmakers

Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has announced the 2027 edition of The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, offering US$20,000 to a young Nigerian filmmaker for an outstanding documentary.

The competition, themed “Nigeria Unseen”, invites filmmakers to explore overlooked aspects of Nigerian life and offer fresh perspectives on familiar subjects.

It is open to Nigerian filmmakers aged between 18 and 35, including those living outside the country.

The submission portal will open on 1 February 2027 and close at 11:59 p.m. WAT on 30 April 2027.

Eligible documentaries must have been produced between January 2026 and April 2027 and must not exceed 20 minutes.

The competition returns following its inaugural edition in 2026.

NLNG said the new theme was intended to draw attention to people, communities and everyday experiences that rarely receive sustained representation on screen.

The documentaries do not necessarily have to focus on remote places or previously unknown subjects. Filmmakers may also revisit familiar issues through perspectives that have received limited public attention.

NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Sophia Horsfall, said documentary filmmaking required patience, research and a willingness 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,” she said.

“We want the Prize to give outstanding work the recognition it deserves and introduce audiences to aspects of Nigeria they may not otherwise encounter.”

Ms Horsfall said the competition reflected the company’s confidence in Nigerian creative talent and its intention to support structured, high-quality filmmaking.

NLNG also announced a three-member advisory board to guide the Prize’s development and administration.

Filmmaker and producer Femi Odugbemi will chair the board, while journalist and broadcaster Kadaria Ahmed and documentary filmmaker Joel Kachi Benson will serve as members.

The board will provide strategic direction, supervise the competition and safeguard the independence of its adjudication process.

It will also ensure that submitted films are assessed based on originality, artistic quality and storytelling.

Mr Odugbemi said the theme offered filmmakers considerable freedom in selecting their subjects, but stressed that discovering an unfamiliar story was only the beginning of the documentary process.

“‘Nigeria Unseen’ does not necessarily mean travelling to a remote place or finding a subject that has never been filmed,” he said.

“It may mean looking again at something we pass every day and asking questions we have never thought to ask.”

He encouraged filmmakers to question their assumptions, conduct proper research, and let the people featured in their documentaries speak for themselves.

According to him, a strong documentary should go beyond showing that a place, community or way of life exists. It should help viewers understand the experiences and circumstances of the people portrayed.

Mr Odugbemi is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Zuri24 Media and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

He co-founded the iREP International Documentary Film Festival and previously served as the pioneer Academy Director of the MultiChoice Talent Factory in West Africa.

Ms Ahmed is the Executive Director of Daria Media and Managing Director of Radio Now 95.3 FM.

A former BBC senior producer and editor at NEXT newspaper, she has worked across print, radio and television, including moderating interviews and presidential debates.

Mr Benson is known for documentaries and immersive productions centred on human experiences.

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 Outstanding Arts and Culture Documentary at the 2025 News and Documentary Emmy Awards.

NLNG said their combined experience in filmmaking, journalism, creative education and media leadership would support the Prize’s commitment to credible and socially relevant storytelling.

Interested filmmakers must submit their entries through FilmFreeway before the April deadline.

Films exceeding 20 minutes or produced outside the eligibility period will not qualify.

NLNG advised applicants to consult the full call for entries on The Nigeria Prizes’ website for additional eligibility rules, technical specifications and submission requirements.

The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts was established to recognise Nigerian filmmaking talent and encourage documentary works that record the country’s experiences for local and international audiences.

It operates alongside The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.