Five documentary filmmakers have been shortlisted for the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts (NPCA), following a rigorous judging process that narrowed the field from 11 nominees.
Anne-Marie Palmer-Ikuku, Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Liquified Natural Gas companies in Nigeria, and the Nigeria LNG Limited, said this in a statement on Wednesday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the shortlisted documentaries are Beyond Tarkwa Bay by Peter Oghenetega-Oke; Mara Mania by Feranmi Abiola; No Food for Lazy Man by Ummi Bukar; Okrika by Abraham Aiwuyuse; and Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women by Jessica Chinyere.
The five finalists emerged from 98 submissions received from young Nigerian creatives for the maiden edition of the prize, which focused on the theme, ”Identity”.
The theme encourages filmmakers to explore Nigeria, its people, communities, cultures and the evolving understanding of what it means to be Nigerian.
The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Ltd. (NLNG), was established in 2025 to identify, recognise and promote outstanding creative works by young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 years.
The winner will receive a cash prize of 20,000 U.S. dollars and become the first recipient of the Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.
The shortlisted works present diverse perspectives on the Nigerian experience, exploring themes ranging from the resilience of women in Ebonyi to life around Tarkwa Bay, the character of Okrika and other personal and social narratives.
Prof. Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, Chairperson of the Advisory Board for the Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, said the quality and diversity of the submissions demonstrated the depth of emerging creative talent in the country.
She said the young filmmakers had shown the ability to engage thoughtfully with Nigerian stories and presented them from their own perspectives.
With the field now narrowed to five, the final stage of adjudication will determine the winner, who will be announced at NLNG’s Grand Award Night scheduled for October.
The winning documentary will make history as the first work to receive the Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.
