The Federal Government has launched a ₦365 million annual research prize to reward outstanding students and researchers in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
In addition, the government inaugurated the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee to promote academic excellence, innovation and research commercialisation across universities, polytechnics and colleges of education.
Committee to Drive National Laureate Programme
Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, inaugurated the committee in Abuja and described the initiative as a major step towards repositioning research as a national priority.
According to him, the Federal Government wants to celebrate academic excellence just as it recognises outstanding achievements in other sectors.
“The future prosperity of nations will increasingly depend on their ability to convert knowledge into economic value.”
He added that the programme would encourage young Nigerians to develop research capable of solving real-world challenges and driving economic growth.
How the ₦365 Million Prize Will Be Shared
The National Laureate Programme will reward exceptional research at the undergraduate, master’s and doctoral levels.
The award categories include:
- Best Undergraduate Dissertation – ₦35 million
- Best Master’s Thesis – ₦50 million
- Best PhD Thesis – ₦100 million
- Six Excellence Awards across key disciplines – ₦30 million each
Overall, the Federal Government has earmarked about ₦365 million every year for the programme, making it one of Africa’s largest publicly funded academic award schemes.
Committee Receives Clear Responsibilities
The committee will develop transparent guidelines, supervise the selection process and ensure the awards meet international standards.
It will also engage tertiary institutions across the country and coordinate the maiden National Laureate Awards scheduled for November 2026.
Professor Abubakar Sambo, President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, chairs the committee.
FG Targets a Knowledge-Driven Economy
Alausa said Nigeria must deliberately reward research, innovation and creativity to build a globally competitive knowledge economy.
Furthermore, he said the initiative would encourage students and researchers to produce solutions with commercial value instead of limiting research to academic publications.
“Nigeria must deliberately celebrate intellectual achievement if it hopes to build a globally competitive knowledge economy.”
Ultimately, the minister said the Federal Government remains committed to creating an environment where research contributes directly to national development.
