How students can win FG’s ₦365m national laureate prize

The Federal Government has launched a national prize scheme worth ₦365 million to recognize outstanding research from tertiary institutions across Nigeria. Dr Maruf Tunji Alausa, the Minister of Education, announced the opening of the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize during a press briefing with representatives from the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank National Laureate team.

The initiative aims to elevate research and innovation at universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education, aligning with President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda.

The annual prize fund is divided into three categories: Undergraduate Star Prize (₦35 million), Master’s Star Prize (₦50 million), and Doctoral Star Prize (₦100 million), along with 15 Thematic Excellence Prizes (₦12 million each), totaling ₦180 million. This results in 18 laureates selected across six academic levels and three thematic areas: Science, Engineering and Technology; Medicine and Health Sciences; Arts and Social Sciences; Agriculture; Law; and Teaching Innovation.

The special Dr Stella Adadevoh Prize for Medicine and Medical Innovation is awarded to the laureate who best exemplifies integrity, national service, and protection of the public good.

Eligible participants include students and researchers from all accredited tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The prize is open to undergraduate dissertations or recognized equivalents, master’s theses, and doctoral theses or equivalents from various institutions, provided they demonstrate strong commercial potential, industrial application, or clear developmental impact.

All nominated works must first be deposited in the NERD system and issued a valid National Document Number. Only institutions, through their officially constituted Institution Laureate Selection Committees, can nominate and submit works. Each institution may submit up to 18 entries, with a maximum of six per academic level and thematic area.

To increase their chances of winning, students should produce exceptional work with demonstrable commercial, industrial, or developmental value, ensure timely submission to the NERD system, actively engage with supervisors and academic leaders, and obtain their work's approval from the Institution Laureate Selection Committee. Once an institution has chosen its best works, authorized members submit entries through the National Laureate portal.

The submission process involves logging into the portal, managing institution entries, reviewing work details, confirming required attestations, and ticking an oath checkbox. The deadline for institutional entries is August 31, 2026.

Entries go through a three-tier evaluation process: Institutional Committee, Regional (zonal) Committee, and National Committee, chaired by Emeritus Professor Abubakar Sambo. The National Laureate Gala, where the winners are expected to be honored, is scheduled for November.