Nigerian Academy of Science Vows to Push for 1% GDP Allocation for Research Funding
- The Nigerian Academy of Science pledged to push for the Federal Government’s promise of allocating one per cent of Nigeria’s GDP to research
- At its seventh annual scientific conference, the Academy stressed that inadequate funding had limited the impact of science on national development
- The NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences was awarded to Prof. Stephen Adefegha for his groundbreaking work on Moringa oleifera
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The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) vowed to push for the full implementation of the Federal Government’s decision to allocate one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to scientific research.
Speaking on Wednesday at the seventh annual scientific conference of the Academy and during the presentation of the NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences, the President of NAS, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, said Nigeria had quality researchers but insufficient funding had limited the impact of research on national development.
Source: Getty Images
“(Funding of research in the country) This was discussed, and the president recently decided that 1% of the GDP should go to research. That is what we are going to work to actualise. You know, a government statement is one thing; actualising it is another. But we are going to push for its full implementation,” Sambo said.
He explained that the renewed advocacy was aimed at ensuring research moved beyond academic publications to practical solutions that addressed national challenges.
NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences
As part of its efforts to strengthen research output, NAS continued to rotate the Gold Medal award across scientific disciplines due to financial constraints. The 2026 edition focused on the biological sciences, while the physical sciences were scheduled for the next cycle.
Sambo said:
“This gold award, we’re doing it deliberately to encourage up-and-coming researchers to strive to attain excellence in neuroscience and technology areas. Because of the financial requirements of the entire prize, we have a certificate, we have a gold medal, and we have one million Naira. We cannot do it in all segments.
So, this year, we do it in biological sciences. Next year, we do it for physical sciences because of financial limitations.”
The NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences was awarded to Prof. Stephen Adefegha of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in recognition of his research on the biological activities of Moringa oleifera.
Adefegha said his work aimed to establish scientific models for the traditional use of moringa in medicine. Expressing gratitude, he urged young researchers to remain consistent, resilient, and committed to hard work, noting that sustained effort eventually yielded meaningful research outcomes and recognition.
Nigerian young academy mentorship
The Academy also established the Nigerian Young Academy to mentor early-career researchers, particularly recent PhD graduates, guiding them toward impactful, market-driven research.
“This year’s theme is from research to the market,” Sambo said, adding that NAS planned to collate expert advisory viewpoints and work closely with relevant government agencies and serious private sector players to ensure more research outputs were commercialised.
Calls for increased research funding had intensified in recent years, with stakeholders stressing that investment in science and technology was crucial for Nigeria’s national development.
Source: Getty Images
Mathematics competition: N200m worth of scholarships up for grabs
Legit.ng earlier reported that Nigerian pupils and students from across the country were awarded scholarships and prizes worth N200 million at the 22nd edition of the Annual National Mathematics Competition (ANMC) held on Wednesday, April 16.
The event, organised by the Nigerian Tulip International Colleges (NTIC) in collaboration with the National Mathematical Centre (NMC), recognised 52 students from Primary 5 and 6 and junior secondary school categories for outstanding performance in mathematics.
Source: Legit.ng
