Tinubu Govt Unveils National Laureate Prize to Reward Best Theses

Nigeria University students in lecture room

Tinubu Govt Unveils National Laureate Prize to Reward Best Theses

The Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has launched the Nigeria National Laureate Annual Prize Programme, a landmark initiative designed to reward outstanding student research across tertiary institutions nationwide. The programme aims to elevate academic excellence, research innovation, and intellectual achievement to the forefront of national recognition.

According to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Education, students whose dissertations and theses demonstrate exceptional scholarly quality and commercial viability will receive significant cash prizes and national recognition. Winners will be celebrated as National Laureates, reflecting the country’s commitment to fostering research-driven development.

The awards are structured as follows:

Undergraduate dissertation winners: ₦5 million
Master’s thesis winners: ₦10 million
Doctoral (PhD) thesis winners: ₦20 million

Announcing the programme, Education Minister Tunji Alausa described it as a strategic national intervention aimed at reshaping Nigeria’s educational incentives. He stressed that the initiative underscores the importance of research as a driver of industrialisation and national development, ensuring that students’ academic efforts are matched with prestige and financial reward.

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“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,” Alausa said, adding that theses should be viewed as potential blueprints for national progress, not merely graduation requirements.

The programme will be fully financed by the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) and its strategic partners, ensuring sustainability without additional pressure on public funds. Oversight is provided by a 10-member National Laureate Prize Committee, chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo, with representatives from the Nigerian Academy of Sciences, Nigerian Academy of Letters, National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), TETFund, and other academic bodies.

The call for entries will commence in May 2026, with evaluations taking place between June and September, and winners to be honoured at the National Laureate Gala in Abuja in November 2026. The initiative also highlights sustainability and innovation, ensuring that research contributes meaningfully to Nigeria’s knowledge economy.

Officials say the programme encourages students to pursue groundbreaking research that can directly impact policy, technology, and industry, while boosting Nigeria’s global academic reputation.