BY VICTOR BUORO – The Federal Government has launched its most ambitious push yet to turn academic research into a national powerhouse by inaugurating the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee (TINLC) with a whooping ₦365 million funding to splash on deserving Nigerian scholars
With stakeholders in the education already upbeat about this flagship initiative to elevate research and innovation into national priorities, the TINLC will be flaging-off a new annual award programme to reward outstanding undergraduates, Master’s and doctoral research fellows.
The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, who inaugurated the Committee at the Digital Resource Centre of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), said it will oversee the implementation of the National Laureate Programme, designed not only to elevate academic excellence to the highest level of national recognition but also promote research commercialisation and innovation across Nigeria’s accredited post-secondary and tertiary institutions.
Dr Alausa described the programme as a deliberate effort by the government to reshape the country’s reward system, stressing that it is meant to place scholarly achievement, scientific discovery and innovation alongside other nationally celebrated accomplishments.
According to him, the initiative seeks to inspire a new generation of young Nigerians to pursue research capable of solving real-world problems, creating new industries and strengthening the nation’s global competitiveness.
“The future prosperity of nations will increasingly depend on their ability to convert knowledge into economic value,” the Minister said, noting that Nigeria must deliberately celebrate intellectual achievement if it hopes to build a globally competitive knowledge economy.
Alausa observed that in an era increasingly dominated by the social media-driven “attention economy”, the Federal Government considered it necessary to establish a national platform. The platform will reward creativity, scholarship, invention and commercially valuable research, especially among young people.
He disclosed that the inaugural National Laureate Awards take place in November 2026 and will recognise the country’s finest Undergraduate Dissertations, Master’s Theses and Doctoral (PhD) Theses, alongside six thematic Excellence Awards, covering Medicine and Health Sciences, Engineering and Technology, Agriculture, Law, Arts and Social Sciences, and Teaching Innovation.
Under the approved prize structure, the winner of the Undergraduate Dissertation category will receive ₦35 million, while the best Master’s Thesis will attract ₦50 million. The overall winner in the Doctoral (PhD) category will receive ₦100 million.
In addition, six National Laureate Excellence Awards, each valued at ₦30 million, will be presented annually, bringing the programme’s total prize pool to about ₦365 million.
Also, the Minister announced the establishment of the Dr Stella Adadevoh Excellence Award in Medicine and Medical Innovation. Classified among the programme’s special awards, it honours the late physician whose leadership during the 2014 Ebola outbreak helped prevent a national public health catastrophe.
Alausa further directed the Committee to conclude its work on eligibility requirements, evaluation procedures and institutional engagement in good time to ensure the successful hosting of the inaugural Awards in November.
He also used the occasion to commend Engr Olatunji Ariyomo, Chairman of Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD), for his innovative contributions towards transformative interventions within Nigeria’s education sector.
Speaking for the Committee, its Chairman, Emeritus Professor Abubakar Sambo, described the initiative as a historic turning point in the nation’s education policy and lauded President Bols Tinubu’s administration for placing academic excellence and research at the centre of national development.
Professor Sambo, while pledging that the Committee would uphold the highest standards of transparency, fairness and merit throughout the selection process, praised the Minister for leading a national revolution to reward and promote innovation and its commercialisation.
He assured that every eligible student, irrespective of institution or geographical location, would have an equal opportunity to attain National Laureate status. The process, he said, would be insulated from institutional favouritism and other extraneous considerations.
Education analysts say the National Laureate Programme could become one of the most consequential reforms in Nigeria’s tertiary education landscape if successfully implemented. Beyond its substantial prize fund, they argue that the initiative signals a shift in national priorities, from prioritizing social media celebrity culture to deliberately recognising ideas, discoveries and innovations capable of driving economic transformation.
The programme is expected to deepen collaboration between universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, industry and government. It will also create stronger incentives for commercially viable research and position Nigeria to compete more effectively within the global knowledge economy.
Members of the Committee are: Professor Abubakar Sambo, OON, President of the Nigerian Academy of Science, as Chairman; Professor Solomon Nwhator of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife; Professor (Mrs.) Tolulope Ariyomo of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti; Professor Francis F. Uba of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo; Dr Babangida Abubakar Albaba, representing the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE); and Dr Salihu Bakari Girei, representing TETFund.
Others include Professor (Mrs.) Carol Arinze-Umobi of Nnamdi Azikiwe University; Dr (Mrs.) Obianuju Anigbogu, representing the Federal Ministry of Education; Mr. Francis Egbokare, representing the Nigerian Academy of Letters; Dr Ezinne Orisakwe, representing the National Universities Commission (NUC); and Dr Pius O. Ekireghwo, representing the National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE).
Mr Richard Falaye, Secretary of NERD, has been picked to serve as Secretary to the Committee.
