By: Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja.
Mary-Brenda Akoda has emerged winner of the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation (NPSI) for her groundbreaking artificial intelligence-powered MRI technology, GenScan AI (GenMRI/C-MORE).
Akoda’s victory marks a historic milestone as she becomes the first millennial and the first woman to win the prestigious prize as an individual recipient.
Her emergence as the 2026 winner was announced yesterday at the NPSI 2026 Press Conference in Lagos, following a rigorous and independent evaluation by the Prize’s Panel of Judges and subsequent endorsement by the NPSI Advisory Board.
GenScan AI was selected from a record 237 entries submitted for the 2026 competition, the highest number received since the inception of the prize.
The innovation is an AI-powered MRI reconstruction technology designed to significantly reduce MRI acquisition time while maintaining or improving image quality. Its C-MORE algorithm employs a one-step consistency-model framework to reconstruct MRI images and has the potential to reduce scan times by up to 90 per cent without requiring new MRI hardware.
The judges adjudged GenScan AI to have the strongest combination of scientific innovation, technical soundness, developmental impact and commercial scalability among the three shortlisted entries.
They noted that the technology could improve scanner utilisation, reduce patient waiting times and expand access to MRI services, particularly in resource-constrained healthcare systems such as Nigeria.
The judging panel, chaired by former Minister of Communications and Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, unanimously recommended GenScan AI for the award, with the recommendation subsequently approved by the NPSI Advisory Board.
Speaking at the event, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Dr Sophia Horsfall, said the emergence of a winner in 2026, following the “no winner” verdict recorded in 2025, demonstrated that the standards of the prize remained uncompromising.
Horsfall said the 2026 competition, which retained the theme, “Innovations in Artificial Intelligence, ICT and Digital Technologies for Development,” attracted 237 entries, describing it as the highest number recorded since the prize began.
She said the outcome demonstrated the credibility of the adjudication process, stressing that any entry declared worthy of the prize must have passed through a thorough evaluation.
“If an entry is declared worthy of the Prize today, we can be confident that it has earned that distinction through a thorough and credible evaluation process,” she said.
She commended members of the Advisory Board and Panel of Judges for their professionalism, independence and integrity throughout the adjudication process.
Chairman of the NPSI Advisory Board, Professor Barth Nnaji, said the unanimous decision to recognise GenScan AI reflected the quality of the innovation and its potential to address critical healthcare challenges.
Nnaji said the evaluation process was designed not merely to identify scientific novelty but innovations capable of demonstrating practical relevance, measurable impact and prospects for real-world application.
According to him, GenScan AI stood out because it combined advanced artificial intelligence with a practical healthcare application capable of improving the efficiency and accessibility of medical imaging.
The 2026 award represents the 12th time a winning work has been recognised in the 22-year history of the prize, which has now been rebranded as The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation.
Akoda will receive the US$100,000 prize at the Grand Award Night scheduled for October 9, 2026.
Akoda is a First-Class graduate of Computer Science from Goldsmiths, University of London, and holds a Master of Research with Distinction in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from Imperial College London, where she was a Google DeepMind Scholar.
She has also worked as a software engineer and AI research scientist at Microsoft, including with the Microsoft Mixed Reality and AI Research Lab in Cambridge.
NLNG congratulated Akoda and all participants in the 2026 competition, saying the submissions contributed to strengthening Nigeria’s scientific and innovation ecosystem.
The company also acknowledged the Nigerian media for its continued partnership in promoting stories of scientific excellence and encouraging greater interest in innovative solutions to national challenges.
The Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation remains one of NLNG’s flagship initiatives aimed at promoting excellence in scientific research and innovation and encouraging solutions capable of delivering meaningful and sustainable impact on society.
