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The Federal Government has unveiled a ₦365 million annual National Laureate Prize aimed at rewarding exceptional academic research, innovation and intellectual excellence across Nigeria's tertiary institutions.
The initiative, known as the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize, was launched in Abuja by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, who described it as a strategic step towards transforming universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education into hubs of research, innovation, enterprise and problem-solving.
According to the minister, the programme aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda by encouraging groundbreaking research and innovations that can drive national development and economic growth.
Alausa noted that while Nigeria possesses immense intellectual talent across its tertiary institutions, many outstanding research works and innovations have not received the recognition and support needed to make meaningful national impact.
He explained that the annual prize will honour exceptional undergraduate dissertations with commercial potential, as well as outstanding Master's theses and doctoral research with industrial and developmental relevance.
Awards will be presented in six thematic areas: Engineering and Technology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture, Law, and Teaching Innovation.
The initiative also introduces the Dr. Stella Adadevoh Prize for Medicine and Medical Innovation, established in honour of the late Nigerian physician for her contributions to public health.
The Federal Government said the National Laureate Prize is expected to promote the commercialisation of research findings, preserve Nigeria's intellectual output and strengthen collaboration between tertiary institutions, industry and government to accelerate national development.
