The Federal Government has approved N10bn for the 2026 National Research Fund grant cycle administered by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.
The allocation represents a 64.2 per cent increase from the N6.09bn provided for 174 research projects under the 2025 grant cycle.
TETFund announced the funding in its 2026 National Research Fund Grant Cycle Call for Concept Notes, signed by its Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.
According to Echono, the higher allocation is intended to strengthen research activities and improve the capacity of researchers across Nigerian tertiary institutions.
The Fund said the portal for submission of concept notes would open on Monday, August 31, 2026, while applicants must submit their concept notes on or before October 15, 2026.
TETFund warned applicants that the deadline would be strictly observed, stressing that “There will be no extension.”
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The N10bn fund will be distributed across 30 priority research areas under three broad categories: Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation; and Cross-Cutting research areas.
TETFund explained that researchers seeking funding would first be required to submit concept notes through the National Research Fund application portal.
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Only concept notes considered suitable for funding would advance to the next stage, where the applicants would be required to submit full research proposals.
The Fund said lecturers based in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria were eligible to apply for the grant. It also encouraged multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research involving academics from different fields.
“The PI must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution regarded as the Coordinating Institution and guarantor of proper application of the funds for the project.
“Thereafter, the successful proposals for the award of grant will be presented to the Board of Trustees of TETFund for approval and disbursement of funds,” it said.
TETFund reiterated that the Principal Investigator must be affiliated with an eligible institution, which would serve as the coordinating institution and take responsibility for ensuring that the funds are properly utilised for the approved project.
The Fund said the entire application process would be carried out online through the NRF portal.
It added that all concept notes would undergo assessment by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee.
Researchers whose submissions pass the initial assessment would then be invited to prepare and submit detailed proposals for further consideration.
TETFund further stated that Principal Investigators whose projects are considered fundable would be required to defend their proposals before the screening and monitoring committee.
At least one other member of the research team would also be expected to participate in the defence of the proposed project.
The latest funding allocation signals an increase in the government’s financial commitment to research, with TETFund seeking to support projects that can contribute to knowledge development, innovation and national growth.
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[…] FG approves N10b TETFund research grants, opens applications August 31 […]