Five Filmmakers Battle for History as Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts Shortlists Finalists
Five young Nigerian filmmakers have emerged as finalists for the inaugural Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts (NPCA), following a rigorous judging process that narrowed the field from 11 nominees announced earlier.
The five 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 Ayodele Aiwuyuse, and Women of Salt: The Resilience of Ebonyi’s Women by Jessica Chinyere.
The finalists emerged from 98 submissions received for the maiden edition of the Prize, which challenged young Nigerian creatives to explore the theme, “Identity.”
The theme encouraged filmmakers to examine Nigeria, its people, communities, cultures and the evolving sense of what it means to be Nigerian.
The five documentaries offer distinct perspectives on contemporary Nigerian life, highlighting stories ranging from the resilience of women in Ebonyi to life around Tarkwa Bay and the character of Okrika, alongside other deeply personal and social narratives.
Their emergence marks another significant stage in the maiden edition of the Prize, as the filmmakers progress from the initial pool of entries, through the 11-nominee stage, to the final shortlist.
The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, sponsored by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), was established in 2025 to identify, recognise and promote outstanding creative works by young Nigerians aged 18 to 35 years.
The Prize, valued at US$20,000, provides a platform for emerging documentary filmmakers to tell original Nigerian stories while gaining national and international recognition for their work.
Speaking on the progression of the Prize, the Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts, Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo, noted that the quality and diversity of submissions demonstrated the depth of Nigeria’s emerging creative talent and the ability of young filmmakers to engage thoughtfully with the country’s stories.
With the field now reduced to five, attention will shift to the final stage of adjudication ahead of the announcement of the winner at NLNG’s Grand Award Night in October 2026.
The winning documentary will become the first work to receive The Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts.
