Federal Government Launches 2026 National Laureate Programme With ₦365m Research Prize Fund
- The Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee announced the start of the 2026 National Laureate Programme in Abuja on Sunday
- The Federal Government initiative covers undergraduate, master's and doctoral research across six thematic areas in accredited Nigerian tertiary institutions
- Institutions and professional bodies have until August 15 to set up selection committees, with research submissions closing on August 31
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The Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee has announced the launch of the 2026 National Laureate Programme, a Federal Government scheme backed by a ₦365 million annual research prize fund to recognise outstanding academic work in Nigerian higher institutions.
The committee's spokesperson, Ita Ekpenyong, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja.
Source: Facebook
He said the initiative, inaugurated under Education Minister Dr Tunji Alausa, would assess and reward exceptional research across accredited universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics, military institutions and other eligible tertiary institutions.
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"The initiative underscores the Federal Government's commitment to strengthening Nigeria's research ecosystem, promoting innovation and positioning scholarship as a driver of national development," Ekpenyong said.
Prize Breakdown and Thematic Areas
According to PUNCH, winners in the undergraduate category will receive ₦35 million, while successful master's and doctoral candidates will take home ₦50 million and ₦100 million respectively. An additional 15 Thematic Laureate Awards, each worth ₦12 million, will go to other outstanding researchers.
Research entries will be drawn from six thematic areas: Agriculture, Teaching Innovation, Medicine and Health Sciences, Engineering, Science and Technology, Law, and Arts and Social Sciences.
Each participating university may nominate up to 18 research works, made up of six undergraduate dissertations, six master's theses and six doctoral theses. Polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education will submit equivalent entries.
Before any work qualifies for consideration, it must be submitted to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank and assigned a valid National Document Number. The committee said the requirement is meant to strengthen research integrity and preserve Nigeria's academic output within the country's knowledge infrastructure.
Deadlines and Selection Process
To prepare for the 2026 edition, institutions are required to form Institutional Laureate Selection Committees made up of experienced academics with proven research credentials, and submit the names and designations of members to the committee.
The programme will run through a three-stage assessment process covering institutional, regional and national evaluations. Professional bodies across agriculture, engineering, science, medicine, law, education, arts and related fields have also been invited to nominate distinguished scholars for Regional Laureate Selection Committees across the six geopolitical zones.
Institutions and professional associations have until August 15 to constitute their committees and nominate experts. The window for submitting institutional research entries closes on August 31.
Chairman of the National Laureate Committee, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, said the programme was designed "to elevate academic excellence to national prominence, encourage world-class research, inspire innovation and recognise scholars whose work has the potential to transform lives, industries and the future of Nigeria."
He urged all eligible tertiary institutions and relevant professional associations to take part in the inaugural edition.
Source: Twitter
Top student researchers to get ₦20m in new National prize
Legit.ng earlier reported that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government has launched a National Laureate Annual Prize Programme to reward outstanding studeny researcher in Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The new initiative is founded to recognize and financially reward exceptional academic research in tertiary institutions.
Source: Legit.ng
