FG launches N20 million National Laureate Prize for student research projects 

The Federal Government has approved the establishment of the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme to reward outstanding academic research from tertiary institutions.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Education through its Director of Press and Public Relations, Boriowo Folasade.

Under the programme, undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral students with top research work will receive financial rewards and national recognition.

What they are saying 

Minister of Education, Maruf Olatunji Alausa, said the initiative is aimed at encouraging academic excellence and innovation.

• “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,” he said. 

He added that the programme is a strategic national intervention to reshape Nigeria’s educational incentive structure by placing scholarly achievement, academic excellence, and research innovation at the forefront of national recognition

More insights

• According to the ministry, undergraduate winners will receive at least N5 million, master’s degree holders N10 million, and PhD recipients N20 million.
• A 10-member committee chaired by Abubakar Sambo has been set up to oversee submissions, vetting, and selection of winners.
• The programme is expected to begin with a call for submissions in May 2026, with the first awards scheduled for November 2026 in Abuja.

What this means 

This development would change how students approach their final year projects and research work. Instead of seeing it as just a requirement to graduate.

It would push more students to take their work seriously, shifting from just “passing” to trying to stand out and solve real problems.

It would also strengthen research output across universities, while contributing to economic growth, job creation, and development.

However, details on how the selection will be conducted and how many winners the government is looking to select from Nigeria’s 298 tertiary institutions were not disclosed.

What you should know 

The government rolled out the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), a platform designed to digitise and verify academic records, preserve research outputs, and tackle issues like certificate fraud.

• The system has already onboarded over 250 institutions and captured 100,000 student submissions, ensuring research is stored and accessible for national use.
• The prize also aligns with a recent reseach-focused initiative, the launch of a $12 million Digital Economy Research Clusters programme to strengthen evidence-based policymaking in Nigeria.