By Rosemary Etim Bassey
The federal government has launched the National Laureate Prize, a new award that will celebrate the best academic research from Nigerian universities, polytechnics, and colleges. The top prize, a whopping N20 million!
Minister of Education Dr Tunji Alausa announced the initiative in Abuja during the 2026 National Capacity Building Programme on the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) Policy. The programme focuses on keeping academic records accurate and reliable, making sure students’ hard work is properly documented.
The National Laureate Prize will reward outstanding undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral theses. Winners can expect awards ranging from N5 million to N20 million, and the first-ever ceremony is set for November 2026.
“This prize is all about recognising academic brilliance and encouraging students to push their research to the next level,” Dr Alausa said. He explained that it’s part of a bigger effort to boost excellence and strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s education system through the NERD platform, which safely digitises and preserves student records.
In just four months, NERD has already saved nearly 100,000 student submissions, making sure important academic work isn’t lost. Over 350 institutions are now onboarded for real-time verification, and more than 133,000 students and 6,800 lecturers are using the platform.
But NERD isn’t just about academics; it’s about creating new opportunities too. Over 1,000 digital service centres have been set up across the country, generating 3,000 jobs in just a few months.
For students with big ideas and a passion for research, this is an amazing chance to shine, earn recognition, and maybe even grab that life-changing prize. So start thinking about your projects now, your thesis could be the next big winner.