By George Ozalla
Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG) has honoured Dr Mary-Brenda Akoda with the US$100,000 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation at its Grand Award Night held at the Convention Centre of Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, October 9.
Akoda received the award for GenScan AI, an artificial intelligence-powered medical imaging innovation designed to reduce Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan time by up to 90 per cent without requiring hospitals to acquire new MRI machines.
She emerged as the winner of the 2026 prize following a competitive evaluation of entries submitted under the theme, “Innovations in Artificial Intelligence, ICT and Digital Technologies for Development.”
The award ceremony brought together personalities from government, business, science, literature, entertainment and other sectors. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Nobel laureate Professor Wole Soyinka were among the prominent guests at the event.
Actress and television presenter Nancy Isime and actor Joseph Benjamin hosted the ceremony, which featured a musical performance by Waje, comedy by Buchi and a presentation of The Cardinal Highlife Musical, created and produced by Yibo Koko.
Akoda’s recognition at the event followed the public presentation of her innovation in Abuja earlier in October, where government officials, scientists, health professionals and technology experts examined its potential to improve access to medical diagnosis in Nigeria.
GenScan AI comprises GenMRI and the C-MORE algorithm, which uses artificial intelligence to reconstruct MRI images from substantially less acquired data. The technology is designed to shorten scanning time while maintaining diagnostic image quality.
A conventional MRI examination can take between 15 minutes and an hour and a half, depending on the procedure. By reducing the time required for each examination, the innovation could enable hospitals to examine more patients with existing scanners, reduce waiting periods and improve the use of available medical equipment.
The cost of acquiring high-quality MRI scanners, which can run into millions of dollars, remains a major challenge for healthcare facilities seeking to expand diagnostic services. An innovation that increases the capacity of existing equipment could therefore offer a practical option for hospitals operating with limited resources.
At the Abuja presentation, Akoda explained that her interest in the problem was influenced by the death of an elderly loved one following a stroke, an experience that exposed the consequences of delays in medical diagnosis.
She said the technology had undergone retrospective validation using more than 8,800 MRI images but would require broader validation and regulatory approval before routine clinical adoption.
Akoda has indicated that she is working with radiologists, hospitals and regulators towards deployment, with a target of the second half of 2027. The Federal Government has also expressed readiness to facilitate engagement with teaching hospitals and Federal Medical Centres for proposed pilot programmes.
Chairman of the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, said the prize recognises innovations that have moved beyond basic research and demonstrated practical relevance and potential benefits to society.
NLNG’s General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr Sophia Horsfall, also said the company’s interest was to encourage scientific work capable of addressing real challenges and improving people’s lives.
Akoda’s victory was particularly notable because she became the first woman to win the Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation as an individual recipient. Her emergence also followed the 2025 edition, which ended without a winner after no entry met the required standard.
The 2026 competition attracted a record 237 entries, with GenScan AI selected after assessment by an independent panel of judges and endorsement by the advisory board.
The Grand Award Night also celebrated winners in literature and creative arts. Poet and lawyer Ogaga Ifowodo received the US$100,000 Nigeria Prize for Literature for his poetry collection, Why Does God Need a Gun?, while filmmakers Peter Oghenetega Oke and Feranmi Abiola shared the US$20,000 Nigeria Prize for Creative Arts for their documentaries, Beyond Tarkwa Bay and Mara Mania, respectively.
Through the Nigeria Prizes, NLNG recognises outstanding achievements in science, literature and creative expression, with the aim of encouraging Nigerian talent and innovations capable of contributing to national development.
