The Federal Government has unveiled the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Prize, an annual ₦365 million initiative aimed at recognising and rewarding academic excellence, research and innovation across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Tunji Alausa, who unveiled the initiative in Abuja, said the prize was designed to reposition universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education as centres of research, innovation, enterprise and problem-solving.
According to Alausa, the initiative is in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and is intended to give outstanding academic research the recognition and support needed to achieve national impact.
He said, “Nigeria has exceptional intellectual capacity across its universities, polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of education, but outstanding research and innovations require greater recognition and support to achieve national impact.”
The Minister said the prize would recognise exceptional undergraduate dissertations with commercial potential, as well as outstanding Master’s theses and Doctoral research with industrial or developmental applications.
He said the awards would cover six thematic areas, including Engineering and Technology, Medicine and Health Sciences, Arts and Social Sciences, Agriculture, Law, and Teaching Innovation.
Alausa said the initiative would encourage researchers and students to develop solutions to Nigeria’s economic and social challenges.
He said, “The prize is designed to reposition our tertiary institutions as centres of research, innovation, enterprise and problem-solving.”
The Minister explained that the government was seeking to ensure that academic research moved beyond the classroom and contributed directly to national development.
“We want to strengthen the connection between tertiary education, industry and national development,” he said.
He added that research with commercial potential would be given particular attention as part of efforts to promote innovation and enterprise within the education sector.
The initiative will also feature the Dr. Stella Adadevoh Prize for Medicine and Medical Innovation, established to honour the late Nigerian physician and recognise excellence in medical research and innovation.
Alausa said honouring Adadevoh would also serve as an inspiration to young Nigerians pursuing careers in medicine and medical innovation.
The Federal Government said the programme would promote research commercialisation and preserve Nigeria’s intellectual output.
The government added that the initiative would strengthen the link between academic institutions, industry and national development by supporting research capable of producing practical solutions.
The annual ₦365 million prize is expected to provide greater incentives for students, researchers and academics to pursue innovative ideas capable of addressing national challenges and contributing to Nigeria’s economic growth.