FG Launches N365m National Research Awards

By Admin, Lagos

The Nigerian Government has launched the 2026 Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Programme, a new initiative aimed at rewarding outstanding academic research across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

‎‎The programme, backed by an annual N365 million prize fund, will recognise exceptional undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses and doctoral research from accredited universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics and other eligible institutions.

‎In a letter to heads of tertiary institutions, Chairman of the National Laureate Committee, Professor Abubakar Sambo, urged institutions to begin preparations for the maiden edition.

“The programme will recognise exceptional undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses and doctoral research from accredited tertiary institutions across the country,” Sambo said.

‎According to the guidelines approved by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, each institution is expected to establish an Institutional Laureate Selection Committee and nominate outstanding research works across six thematic areas.

‎The programme offers prizes of N35 million for the undergraduate category, N50 million for the master’s category and N100 million for the doctoral category. An additional 15 Thematic Laureate Awards, worth N12 million each, will also be presented.

‎The committee said all nominated research must first be submitted to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and assigned a National Document Number before becoming eligible.

‎‎Institutions are expected to submit committee details by August 15, while research entries close on August 31.

The winners will be selected through institutional, regional and national assessments to ensure transparency and merit.