The Federal Government has unveiled the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme, a landmark initiative designed to honour exceptional academic research, intellectual excellence, and innovation emerging from the nation’s tertiary institutions.
Announcing the programme in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Dr. Olatunji Alausa, described the initiative as a strategic national intervention aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s educational incentive structure by placing scholarly achievement and research innovation at the centre of national recognition.
The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs. Folasade Boriowo.
Under the new scheme, outstanding dissertations and theses produced by students in accredited tertiary institutions would be rewarded annually with cash prizes ranging from ₦5 million to ₦20 million, depending on the academic category.
According to the statement, undergraduate dissertation winners will receive ₦5 million; Master’s thesis winners will be awarded ₦10 million; and Doctoral thesis winners will receive ₦20 million along with national recognition.
Dr. Alausa said the programme demonstrates the government’s commitment to positioning Nigeria as a knowledge-driven, innovation-led economy where intellectual capital is celebrated as a key driver of development.
“By elevating our students to the status of celebrated National Laureates, we are ensuring that the rigour of research and academic excellence is matched with the highest level of national prestige and financial reward,” the Minister stated.
He added that while society often celebrates social influencers, the country must also prioritise innovators whose work holds the potential to transform industries and support national advancement.
“With the National Laureate Prize, we are signalling a new era where a student’s thesis is no longer merely a graduation requirement but a potential blueprint for national industrialisation and development,” he said.
To ensure sustainability, the Federal Government confirmed that the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and its strategic partners will fund the programme’s entire lifecycle without placing additional strain on public finances.
A 10-member NERD National Laureate Prize Committee has been constituted to oversee implementation.
The committee is chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo and includes academics such as Prof. Solomon Nwhator, Prof. (Mrs.) Tolulope Ariyomo, Prof. Francis F. Uba, and Prof. (Mrs.) Carol Arinze-Umobi, with representation from major academic and regulatory bodies including the Nigerian Academy of Letters, Nigerian Academy of Sciences, NUC, NBTE, NCCE, TETFund, and the Federal Ministry of Education.In honour of distinguished national figures, select laureate prizes will bear the names of eminent Nigerians.
The inaugural edition will pay tribute to Dr. Stella Adadevoh, celebrated for her courage and sacrifice during the Ebola outbreak.
According to the programme guidelines, tertiary institutions nationwide have been directed to screen and submit their best academic works for national consideration.
The Prize Committee will also reserve the right to identify exceptional research works independently.
For the 2026 cycle, the programme will officially begin with the inauguration of the Prize Committee, followed by a national call for submissions in May 2026 via the NERD portal.
The evaluation process is scheduled to run from June to September 2026, culminating in the National Laureate Gala in November 2026 in Abuja, where the winning scholars will be honoured.
Members of the public and academic community are encouraged to follow the progress of the national research curation and selection process through the NERD portal.