FG Launches ₦365m National Laureate Prize to Reward Research and Innovation in Tertiary Institutions

By Emmanuel Kwada

The Federal Government has established the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize, an annual initiative worth ₦365 million aimed at rewarding outstanding academic research, innovation and intellectual excellence across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.

The Minister of Education, Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, said the initiative was designed to create stronger incentives for students and researchers to develop solutions capable of addressing Nigeria’s developmental challenges.

Alausa said the prize would also promote the commercialisation of research and strengthen collaboration between tertiary institutions, industry and government.

According to the minister, the initiative will recognise exceptional research undertaken at the undergraduate, Master’s and Doctoral levels, providing a national platform for researchers whose work demonstrates originality, practical relevance and potential impact.

The prize will cover six thematic areas, reflecting key sectors considered important to Nigeria’s development.

A special Dr Stella Adadevoh Prize for Medicine and Medical Innovation will also feature as part of the initiative, recognising outstanding contributions to healthcare research and medical innovation.

The Federal Government said the annual award is expected to encourage a stronger culture of research and innovation within Nigerian universities, polytechnics and other tertiary institutions.

The initiative comes amid growing calls for Nigerian institutions of higher learning to move beyond conventional academic research and produce innovations that can be translated into practical solutions, businesses and technologies.

By linking academic research more closely with industry and national development priorities, the government expects the prize to help bridge the gap between knowledge generation and its practical application.

The initiative is also expected to encourage young Nigerian researchers to pursue ambitious research projects while providing greater visibility for innovations emerging from the country’s tertiary education system.

With an annual funding commitment of ₦365 million, the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize represents a significant government investment in academic excellence, research and innovation, with the ultimate goal of strengthening Nigeria’s knowledge economy.