The Federal Government has approved the establishment of the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme, a landmark initiative aimed at recognising and rewarding outstanding academic research, intellectual excellence, and commercially viable innovation from tertiary institutions across the country.
Announcing the initiative, the Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Olatunji Alausa, described the programme as a strategic intervention designed to reshape Nigeria’s educational incentive structure by prioritising academic excellence, scholarly achievement, and research innovation as key drivers of national development.
Under the scheme, exceptional dissertations and theses produced in accredited tertiary institutions will be honoured annually through the National Laureate Prize. Financial rewards will range from N5 million to N20 million across three academic categories.
Undergraduate dissertation winners will receive a minimum of N5 million, master’s thesis winners, N10 million, while doctoral thesis winners will be awarded N20 million, alongside national recognition befitting their contributions.
To ensure sustainability, the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and its partners will fund the programme without burdening public finances.
A 10-member NERD National Laureate Prize Committee, chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo, was constituted to oversee implementation, including submission, vetting, and selection processes. Members include representatives from key educational bodies and agencies such as the NUC, NBTE, NCCE, TETFund, and the Federal Ministry of Education.
The 2026 cycle will begin with committee inauguration, followed by a call for submissions in May 2026, evaluation between June and September, and a national laureate gala scheduled for November 2026 in Abuja.