The federal government has approved the establishment of the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme, with top student researchers set to receive up to ₦20 million for outstanding academic work.
In a statement on Tuesday signed by Boriowo Folashade, director of press and public relations at the Ministry of Education, Tunji Alausa, minister of education, said the initiative aims to reward academic excellence and promote research-driven innovation.
Alausa said undergraduate dissertation winners will receive at least ₦5 million, while master’s thesis winners will get ₦10 million and doctoral candidates ₦20 million.
He described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to reposition Nigeria as a knowledge-driven and innovation-led economy.
“By elevating our students to the status of celebrated national laureates, we are ensuring that the rigour of research and academic excellence is matched with the highest level of national prestige and financial reward,” he said.
The minister said the initiative seeks to shift national attention towards intellectual achievement and innovation.
“While it is not wrong to celebrate social influencers, this must not be at the expense of innovators,” he added.
He noted that the programme will transform academic research from a graduation requirement into a tool for national development and industrialisation.
NERD FUNDS THE PRIZE
Alausa said the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), in collaboration with strategic partners, will fund the programme to avoid placing additional burden on public resources.
He added that the ministry has constituted a 10-member National Laureate Prize Committee, chaired by Abubakar Sambo, to oversee the implementation.
The committee will supervise the call for submissions, screening, and final selection of awardees.
Other members include representatives from the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Nigerian Academy of Sciences, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Alausa said select prizes under the programme will be named after distinguished Nigerians, with the inaugural honour dedicated to Stella Adadevoh.
He said tertiary institutions have been directed to nominate their best academic works, while the committee retains the authority to identify outstanding research nationwide.
According to the ministry, the 2026 cycle will begin with the inauguration of the committee, followed by a national call for submissions in May.
The evaluation phase will run from June to September, while the National Laureate Gala will hold in November 2026 in Abuja.
