Nigeria Launches ₦365M Annual Prize for Academic Excellence

The Federal Government of Nigeria inaugurated the Tertiary Institutions National Laureate Committee on Tuesday, led by Dr. Tunji Alausa, to implement a ₦365 million annual prize program designed to reward exceptional academic research and innovation within Nigeria's tertiary institutions. The initiative aims to inspire young researchers to develop solutions for the country's challenges.

The program will feature awards of ₦35 million for the best undergraduate dissertation, ₦50 million for the best master's thesis, and ₦100 million for the best doctoral thesis, along with six national laureate excellence awards worth ₦30 million across various fields. The awards are scheduled for November 2026.

The committee, chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo, includes representatives from various educational bodies and is tasked with developing transparent eligibility criteria and overseeing the independent adjudication process. The program is named in honor of Dr. Stella Adadevoh, recognized for her leadership during the Ebola outbreak in 2014.