The Federal Government has launched the 2026 edition of the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Programme, unveiling a total prize pool of ₦365 million to recognise outstanding research by students in Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The initiative, described as one of the country’s most ambitious investments in academic excellence, will reward exceptional undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses and doctoral research across universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics and military institutions.
According to the National Laureate Committee, institutions have been directed to establish Institutional Laureate Selection Committees comprising senior academics to oversee the nomination process. The names of committee members are to be submitted to the committee by August 15, while research entries are due by August 31.
The programme is backed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, who inaugurated the National Laureate Committee in June as part of efforts to strengthen research, innovation and the commercialisation of academic discoveries in Nigeria. The committee is chaired by Emeritus Prof. Abubakar Sambo, President of the Nigerian Academy of Science.
Under the award structure, the best undergraduate research project will receive ₦35 million, while the best master’s thesis will earn ₦50 million. The overall winner in the doctoral (PhD) category will receive the highest prize of ₦100 million.
In addition, 15 thematic awards worth ₦12 million each will be presented to outstanding entries in six broad fields: Agriculture, Teaching Innovation, Medicine and Health, Engineering, Science and Technology, and Law, Arts and Social Sciences. The combined value of all awards amounts to ₦365 million.
To ensure transparency and uphold research integrity, all nominated works must first be uploaded to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), where they will be assigned a National Document Number before they can be considered for evaluation. The selection process will be conducted at the institutional, regional and national levels.
Prof. Sambo said the programme is intended to promote research excellence, encourage innovation and reward scholarly work with the potential to drive national development and industrial growth. He urged participating institutions to conduct transparent internal screening processes to ensure only deserving entries advance to subsequent stages.
The National Laureate Programme, first unveiled in June 2026, is expected to culminate in the inaugural National Laureate Awards later this year, with the Federal Government positioning the initiative as a key component of its strategy to build a knowledge-driven economy and encourage young Nigerians to pursue impactful research.
