The Federal Government has launched the 2026 Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Programme, with ₦365 million set aside to reward outstanding research by students across tertiary institutions.
Backed by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the programme will honour top undergraduate projects, master’s theses and doctoral research from universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, monotechnics and military institutions.
The Chairman of the National Laureate Committee, Emeritus Prof. Abubakar Sambo, announced the start of the programme in a July 31, 2026 letter sent to vice-chancellors, rectors, provosts and commandants. The announcement was contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the committee’s spokesperson, Ita Ekpeyong.
Institutions have been directed to set up Institutional Laureate Selection Committees made up of senior academics and forward the names of their chairman, secretary and members to the National Laureate Committee. Professional bodies are also expected to nominate experts for Regional Laureate Committees.
Each institution can submit up to 18 entries, with six each for undergraduate, master’s and doctoral research. Entries must fall under Agriculture, Teaching Innovation, Medicine and Health, Engineering, Science and Technology, or Law, Arts and Social Sciences.
The programme offers ₦35 million for the best undergraduate research, ₦50 million for the best master’s thesis and ₦100 million for the best doctoral research. Fifteen thematic awards worth ₦12 million each will also be presented.
All nominated works must be uploaded to the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank and assigned a National Document Number before submission. Committee members must be submitted by August 15, 2026, while research entries close on August 31, 2026. Prof. Sambo described the initiative as “a landmark investment in intellectual capital.”
