FG Begins ₦365m National Laureate Prize Programme, Directs Institutions To Constitute Selection Committees

The federal government has officially commenced the 2026 edition of the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Programme, a new national initiative aimed at identifying, rewarding and promoting outstanding academic research produced in Nigerian tertiary institutions.

In a letter written to all Vice Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, and Commandants of higher institutions in Nigeria on Friday 31st of July 2026, the Chairman of the National Laureate Committee, Emeritus Prof Abubakar Sambo OON, announced that “the National Laureate Programme, inaugurated by the federal government under the leadership of the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, CON, will recognise exceptional undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses and doctoral research(es) from accredited universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics, military institutions and other eligible tertiary institutions across the country.”

Backed by an annual prize fund of ₦365 million, the National Laureate Programme is Nigeria’s most prestigious academic awards for students in universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education across the country with the objective of promoting research excellence, innovation, commercialisation of research findings and national development.

Announcing the commencement of the inaugural edition, the chairman called on Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Commandants and Heads of eligible tertiary institutions to begin immediate preparations for participation.

According to the National Laureate’s modus operandi as approved by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, every accredited institution is expected to establish an Institutional Laureate Selection Committee made up of experienced academics with proven research credentials and high ethical standards.

Institutions are also required to formally submit the names and designations of the Chairman, Secretary and members of the Committee as part of the implementation process.

Similarly, professional associations across key thematic areas are expected to nominate subject matters expert to support the vetting of entries as part of Regional Laureate Selection Committees.

The approved guideline provides that, following internal evaluations, each institution would nominate up to 18 outstanding research works, comprising six undergraduate dissertations, six master’s theses, and six doctoral theses in the case of universities, or their equivalents for polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, and other tertiary institutions, drawn from the six approved thematic areas, such as Agriculture, Teaching Innovation, Medicine and Health Sciences, Engineering, Science, and Technology, Law, Arts and Social Sciences.

The Programme offers Star Prizes of ₦35 million for the undergraduate category, ₦50 million for the master’s category, and ₦100 million for the doctoral category.

In addition, 15 Thematic Laureate Awards, valued at ₦12 million each, will be presented to other outstanding winners.

In a press statement issued on behalf of the Committee by its spokesperson, Ita Ekpenyong, he added that every nominated student research work must first be submitted to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and assigned a valid National Document Number (NDN) before becoming eligible for consideration under the National Laureate Programme.

The Committee said the requirement was intended to strengthen research integrity, improve documentation and preserve Nigeria’s scholarly output within the country’s national knowledge infrastructure.

The National Laureate Committee further disclosed that the Prize would be determined through a rigorous three-tier evaluation process, beginning with institutional assessments, followed by regional evaluations and culminating in national adjudication.

It stated that the multi-layered process was designed to guarantee fairness, transparency and merit, while ensuring that only the most outstanding research works emerge at the national level.

Institutions were therefore urged to conduct their internal assessments with the highest standards of professionalism and objectivity.

To facilitate participation, the Committee said each institution’s approved NERD Focal Officer would be required to activate the appointed Institutional Laureate Selection Committee through the focal person dashboard, thereby granting authorised members secure access to manage institutional submissions electronically.

The Committee advised all participating institutions to conclude the constitution of their committees, complete their internal selection processes and submit the list of committee members with the required supporting documentation on or before 15 August 2026 while the submission of institutional entries will continue until the 31st of August 2026.

It noted that submissions would include mandatory digital transmission as provided in the guideline on the National Laureate portal.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, the Committee Chairman, described the Programme as a landmark national investment in intellectual capital.

He said the National Laureate Programme was designed to elevate academic excellence to national prominence, encourage world-class research, inspire innovation, and commercialisation, and celebrate scholars whose work has the potential to transform lives, industries and the future of Nigeria.

Sambo urged Vice-Chancellors, Rectors, Provosts, Commandants and Heads of tertiary institutions to provide the leadership necessary for the successful implementation of the inaugural edition, describing the Programme as an opportunity for institutions to showcase their finest research and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s knowledge-driven future.

The Committee said detailed guidelines, application procedures and operational manuals for participating institutions are available on the National Laureate Programme website.