AI Innovation Cuts MRI Scan Time by 90% As Nigerian Researcher Wins NLNG $100,000 Prize

An artificial intelligence innovation capable of cutting Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan time by up to 90 per cent, without requiring new hardware, has won Nigerian scientist Mary Brenda Akoda the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Science and Innovation (NPSI), earning her $100,000.

The technology, GenScan AI — also known as GenMRI/C-MORE — applies a one-step consistency model framework to reconstruct MRI images faster while maintaining or improving image quality. Judges said the innovation could significantly improve scanner utilisation, reduce patient waiting times, and expand access to MRI services, particularly in resource-constrained healthcare systems such as Nigeria’s, where imaging equipment is often scarce and heavily subscribed.

Akoda was declared the winner at a press conference in Lagos on Tuesday, following an independent evaluation by a panel of judges chaired by Nigeria’s former minister of Communications, Dr Omobola Johnson.

NLNG stated that her entry stood out among a record 237 submissions, the highest number received since the prize’s inception, and her win makes her the first millennial and the first woman to claim the award as an individual recipient.

The prize, backed by Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), had recorded a “no winner” verdict in 2025.

NLNG’s general manager for External Relations and Sustainable Development, Dr Sophia Horsfall, said this year’s outcome reaffirms that the competition’s standards remain uncompromising, stressing that any entry declared worthy of the prize has earned that distinction through a rigorous and credible evaluation process.

NPSI Advisory Board Chairman, Professor Barth Nnaji, said the judges’ decision to select GenScan AI was unanimous, reflecting both the innovation’s quality and its potential to address pressing healthcare challenges. He noted that the judging process was designed to identify innovations that go beyond scientific novelty, demonstrating practical relevance, measurable impact, and prospects for real-world application — criteria GenScan AI met by pairing advanced AI with a tangible healthcare use case capable of improving the efficiency and accessibility of medical imaging.

Akoda holds a First-Class degree in Computer Science from Goldsmiths, University of London, and 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 since worked as a software engineer and AI research scientist at Microsoft, including at the company’s Mixed Reality and AI Research Lab in Cambridge.

She will formally receive the $100,000 prize at the Grand Award Night scheduled for October 9, 2026.