By Rauf Mujeeb
The Federal Government has launched the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize, an award scheme designed to recognize and reward outstanding academic research, innovation, and intellectual excellence across tertiary institutions in Nigeria.
The initiative was officially announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, during a press briefing in Abuja on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, alongside members of the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) team.
Recounting the milestone on his official X account, Dr Alausa said the Prize will serve as a platform to celebrate and reward outstanding research, innovation and intellectual excellence across universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, and colleges of education in the country.
“Backed by an initial annual prize fund of ₦365 million, the National Laureate Prize will award ₦35 million for the Undergraduate Star Prize, ₦50 million for the Master’s Star Prize and ₦100 million for the Doctoral Star Prize, alongside ₦180 million for 15 Thematic Excellence Prizes, valued at ₦12 million each,” he said.
According to him, the prize covers critical fields including Engineering and Technology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture, Law, and Teaching Innovation.
He further stated that national recognition will feature the Dr. Stella Adadevoh Prize for Medicine and Medical Innovation which was established in honor of the late physician’s historic courage during the 2014 Ebola outbreak.
He also stated that the initiative, jointly implemented by the Federal Ministry of Education and NERD under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the scheme aims to transform academic research into practical commercial solutions, enterprises, and measurable national value.
“Through the National Laureate Prize, we are translating that vision into another tangible opportunity for Nigerian students and researchers,” he added.
