112 Entries – No Winner: 2025 Nigeria Prize for Science Yields No Winner

(L-R) Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs; Dr. Sophia Horsfall, GM, External Relations & Sustainable Development; Prof. Barth Nnaji, Chairman, Advisory Board, The Nigerian Prize for Science; Prof Yusuf Abubakar; and Dr. Nike Akande, Board Members at the press conference on the 2025 science prize outcome…in Lagos on Wednesday.

 

The Nigeria Prize for Science 2025 has officially ended without a winner. Out of 112 entries, none were deemed weighty or innovative enough to cart home the grand prize of $100,000.

 

This was the declaration by the Advisory Board of The Nigeria Prize for Science at a press briefing earlier today in Lagos, Nigeria.

 

According to Chairman of the Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, there will be no winner for the 2025 edition, following the judges’ dissatisfaction with the overall quality of entries received; adding that none was found suitable after a rigorous adjudication of the 112 entries submitted.

 

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 The Nigeria Prize for Science.

 

He noted that the Prize is not just about rewarding scientific output, but safeguarding the values of creativity, originality, and scientific rigor 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,” Prof. Nnaji affirmed.

 

He commended the courage and dedication of all who submitted entries, noting that their efforts reflect discipline and a desire to contribute to both national and global scientific discourse. He stressed that excellence was beyond effort, and that it requires innovation, mastery of craft, and the ability to leave a lasting mark on human thought and development.

 

The Board chairman called on Nigerian scientists, researchers, and innovators to be inspired by the judges’ verdict to do more and strive higher.

 

“The Nigeria Prize exists to celebrate only the finest achievements, work that embodies originality, withstands scrutiny, and elevates scientific discourse. Where these qualities are absent, we cannot, in good conscience, bestow the Prize,” he stated.

 

This 2025 outcome is not unprecedented. In previous years, in 2005, 2007, and then during the haitus between 2011 to 2016, and again in 2021, The Nigeria Prize for Science was not awarded. Prof. Nnaji admonished Nigerian scientists that the high bar set for the Prize should not discourage future participation, but rather reinforce the fact that the Prize will never compromise on its standards of scientific innovation and excellence.

 

The Advisory Board also announced that the theme for this year “Innovations in ICT, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Digital Technologies for Development” will be repeated for the 2026 edition. The Board stated that the decision was taken to attract a wider spectrum of innovators, particularly in the emerging field of Artificial Intelligence.

 

Furthermore, the Advisory Board unveiled the members of the panel of judges. They include:

• Dr. Omobola Johnson, the Chairperson of the Panel of Judges for The Nigeria Prize for Science, a Senior Partner at TLcom Capital. Omobola Johnson drives investment and value creation in technology companies across sub-Saharan Africa. She previously served as Nigeria’s Minister of Communication Technology (2011–2015) and spent over 25 years at Accenture, including five years as Country Managing Director.

 

• Prof. Collins Udanor is an Associate Professor of Computer Science (Artificial Intelligence) at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Udanor specialises in data analytics, intelligent agent systems, and multi-agent learning. He leads the High-Performance and Intelligence Computing Group (HiPIC) and has secured multiple grants from organisations such as UNESCO-HP, Google, Nvidia, and TETFund.

 

• Prof. Aminu Muhammad Bui, is a scholar at the Department of Computer Science, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Prof. Bui specialises in Artificial Intelligence, decision support systems, information retrieval, feature selection, Hidden Markov Models, and educational data mining. His research contributes to advancing AI applications in decision-making and student performance prediction.