Two Nigerian film and media executives, Mary Njoku and Juliet Ehimuan have been confirmed for prominent roles as juries at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, representing Nigeria at the world’s leading creative festival.
With these appointments, Nigeria will be represented across two influential areas of Cannes Lions 2026: developing future talent and recognising innovation at the highest level.
Njoku, the ROK Studios CEO, joins the Scholarship Jury, while Beyond Limits founder Ehimuan judges the Innovation category. The appointments reflect the scale of influence they have built across media, business, and tech.
Separately, organisers of the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity announced the appointment of Ehimuan, where she will serve in the prestigious Innovation category. The festival is scheduled to hold from 22nd to 26th June in Cannes, France.
The LIONS Scholarship gives young creatives and marketers access to a fully funded place in either the Creative Academy or Brand Marketers Academy at Cannes Lions 2026. Ten winners from 10 countries will be selected, with applications open to candidates aged 30 and under.
As a jury member, Njoku, a Nollywood executive will join global industry leaders responsible for selecting the next group of emerging talent. Her appointment places a Nollywood executive at the centre of a programme focused on identifying and supporting future creative leaders.
Juliet Ehimuan brings decades of tech leadership to France as she joins the 2026 Cannes Lions Awarding Jury for the Innovation category, judging ideas that redefine the intersection of technology and creativity.
Simon Cook, CEO of LIONS was captured saying the weight of the jury’s role: “The impact of the Cannes Lions Jury can’t be underestimated. Their time and expertise in recognising groundbreaking work sets the global creative benchmark for the year ahead and provides a view of the future shape of creativity.”
