As parts of efforts targeted at boosting the nation's educational sector, the Federal Government has unveiled annual prizes ranging from ₦5 million to ₦20 million to reward outstanding undergraduate, master’s and doctorate theses in the country's tertiary institutions.
The Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, disclosed the initiative on Thursday at a programme with theme “Strengthening Institutional Compliance and Academic Records Integrity,” in Abuja.
He said the initiative aligns with the government’s broader education reform agenda aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the system.
"Let me emphasise that education is a covenant between the State and its citizens. When a certificate is issued, it is not merely paper, it is a national guarantee that due process was followed and standards were upheld. That guarantee is only as strong as the integrity of our record-keeping systems.
"To further promote academic excellence, I have approved the establishment of the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize and Awards Programme, which will reward outstanding Undergraduate, Master’s, and Doctoral theses with prizes ranging from ₦5 million to ₦20 million. The maiden edition will hold in November 2026," the minister announced.
He clarified that while Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) Policy compliance is now a prerequisite for participation in, or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), enforcement extends far beyond NYSC.
He said agencies such as TETFund, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), the National Commission for Collegesof Education (NCCE), and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), as well as all accredited tertiary institutions, are mandated to ensure compliance as a condition for accessing their services.
Alausa hailed the inclusion of practical demonstrations in the programme, including dashboard walkthroughs, record uploads, verification management and compliance workflows.
He reiterated that: the Federal Government has directed all relevant regulatory bodies to align with and enforce the NERD policy.
"Institutions must adhere strictly to compliance timelines, establish robust internal verification systems, designate competent personnel, and prioritise continuous digital capacity development. Furthermore, in line with local content regulations, only nationally developed applications should be procured for ICT-related services within our institutions.
"NERD has developed robust repository software and an indigenous anti-plagiarism system. It would contradict national interest to ignore what we fully own in favour of foreign alternatives.
"The future of Nigerian education is data-driven, transparent, and digitally verifiable. The question is not whether this transformation will occur, it is whether we will lead it with discipline and rigour.
"Let history record that this generation of education administrators chose integrity over convenience, structure over disorder, and accountability over ambiguity. Through NERD, future generations will inherit immutable and inviolable records of this era.
"Together, we shall build an education system whose records are trusted, whose credentials are respec."