The Federal Government has inaugurated the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee to oversee the implementation of the National Laureate Programme, an annual award scheme that will reward outstanding undergraduate, master’s and doctoral research with prizes worth about ₦365 million.
The committee was inaugurated on Monday by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, at the Digital Resource Centre of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC).
Speaking at the inauguration, Alausa said the programme is aimed at promoting academic excellence, research, innovation and commercialisation across Nigeria’s accredited tertiary institutions.
He said the initiative would encourage young Nigerians to undertake research capable of addressing national challenges, creating new industries and improving the country’s global competitiveness.
According to the minister, the programme is part of efforts to recognise scholarly achievement, scientific discovery and innovation as key drivers of national development.
“The future prosperity of nations will increasingly depend on their ability to convert knowledge into economic value,” he said.
The committee is chaired by Professor Abubakar Sambo, President of the Nigerian Academy of Science. Other members include representatives of the National Universities Commission (NUC), TETFund, the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE), the Nigerian Academy of Letters and the Federal Ministry of Education.
Mr. Richard Falaye, Secretary of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), will serve as secretary to the committee.
The inaugural National Laureate Awards will be held in November 2026.
The awards will recognise the best undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses and doctoral theses, alongside six thematic excellence awards covering Medicine and Health Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Agriculture, Law, Arts and Social Sciences, and Teaching Innovation.
Under the prize structure, the best undergraduate dissertation will receive ₦35 million, the best master’s thesis ₦50 million, while the overall winner in the doctoral category will receive ₦100 million.
Six National Laureate Excellence Awards valued at ₦30 million each will also be presented annually, bringing the total prize pool to about ₦365 million.
Alausa also announced the establishment of the Dr. Stella Adadevoh Excellence Award in Medicine and Medical Innovation in honour of the late physician’s contribution during Nigeria’s 2014 Ebola outbreak.
He directed the committee to complete its work on eligibility criteria, assessment procedures and institutional engagement ahead of the maiden awards.
Responding on behalf of the committee, Chairman Professor Abubakar Sambo described the initiative as a major step towards promoting academic excellence and research in Nigeria.
He pledged that the committee would ensure transparency, fairness and merit in the selection process, assuring that all eligible students would have equal opportunities regardless of their institutions or locations.
