Nigeria Launches National Laureate Prize for Scholars

The Federal Government of Nigeria has approved the establishment of the National Laureate Prize, an annual program aimed at recognizing and rewarding outstanding academic research and intellectual excellence within the country's tertiary institutions. Announced by the Minister of Education, Dr. Maruf Olatunji Alausa, the initiative is designed to reshape Nigeria's educational incentive structure and place scholarly achievements at the forefront of national recognition.

The program will honor laureates with financial rewards of ₦5 million for undergraduate dissertation winners, ₦10 million for master's thesis winners, and ₦20 million for doctoral thesis winners. The inaugural prize will be named in honor of Dr. Stella Adadevoh, celebrating her legacy.

The program will commence with a national call for submissions in May 2026, followed by an evaluation phase from June to September 2026, culminating in a gala event scheduled for November 2026 in Abuja. A 10-member committee, chaired by Prof. Abubakar Sambo, will oversee the selection process.