The Federal Government has officially launched the 2026 edition of the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Programme, a landmark initiative designed to reward outstanding academic research and promote innovation across Nigeria’s higher education institutions.
The programme, backed by an annual prize fund of N365 million, is regarded as the country’s most prestigious academic award scheme for tertiary institution students. It aims to encourage research excellence, innovation, commercialization of research findings, and national development.
In a directive issued to Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts and Commandants of accredited tertiary institutions, the Chairman of the National Laureate Committee, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, instructed institutions to immediately establish Institutional Laureate Selection Committees in preparation for the inaugural awards.
According to the guidelines approved by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, each institution must constitute a committee comprising experienced academics with proven research credentials and high ethical standards. Institutions are also required to submit the names and designations of their committee chairman, secretary and members as part of the implementation process.
Professional associations in the approved thematic fields have also been directed to nominate subject-matter experts to serve on Regional Laureate Selection Committees responsible for evaluating research submissions.
Research Categories and Prize Breakdown
Following internal assessments, each eligible institution will nominate up to 18 outstanding research works. Universities will submit six undergraduate dissertations, six master’s theses and six doctoral theses, while equivalent categories will apply to polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education and other approved tertiary institutions.
Research entries will be assessed across six thematic areas:
- Agriculture
- Teaching Innovation
- Medicine and Health Sciences
- Engineering, Science and Technology
- Law
- Arts and Social Sciences
The National Laureate Programme offers substantial cash rewards, including:
- N35 million for the Undergraduate Laureate Award
- N50 million for the Master’s Laureate Award
- N100 million for the Doctoral Laureate Award
Additionally, 15 Thematic Laureate Awards, each valued at N12 million, will be presented to other exceptional research projects.
NERD Registration Mandatory
The committee stated that all nominated research works must first be uploaded to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and assigned a valid National Document Number (NDN) before they can qualify for consideration.
According to the committee, the requirement is intended to strengthen research integrity, improve documentation, and preserve Nigeria’s academic output within the country’s national knowledge infrastructure.
Three-Stage Evaluation Process
Winners will emerge through a transparent three-stage assessment process beginning with institutional screening, followed by regional evaluations and concluding with national adjudication. The committee said the process is designed to ensure fairness, transparency and merit-based selection.
To facilitate electronic submissions, each institution’s approved NERD Focal Officer will activate the Institutional Laureate Selection Committee through the NERD dashboard, granting authorized committee members secure access to manage submissions.
Submission Deadlines
Participating institutions are required to submit the names of their selection committee members and supporting documents on or before August 15, while submission of research entries will remain open until August 31.
Prof. Sambo described the initiative as a strategic national investment in intellectual capital, noting that it seeks to elevate academic excellence, encourage world-class research, promote innovation and commercialization, and celebrate scholars whose research can transform industries and improve lives.
He urged heads of tertiary institutions to provide the necessary leadership to ensure the successful implementation of the maiden edition of the National Laureate Programme.
