President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has transmitted the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, to the Senate, seeking legislative approval to create a unified, competitive national framework for research financing and technological innovation.
The official communication was read on the floor of the upper chamber by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday.
Under the proposed legislation, the National Research and Development Fund will operate as an executive agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology, backed by direct funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.
It centralizes previously fragmented Research and Development (R&D) allocations across various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) into a streamlined, highly efficient national mechanism.
It also establishes a transparent, criteria-based evaluation process for academic institutions and research agencies to secure competitive innovation grants.
Furthermore, it fosters strategic synergy between research institutes, academia, and the private sector to accelerate the commercialization of homegrown technologies, directly reducing Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology.
Reviewed by the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice to ensure statutory clarity, legal precision, and alignment with national educational priorities.
“The establishment of the National Research and Development Fund will serve as a competitive central funding mechanism. It will catalyze groundbreaking innovations, streamline resource allocation according to strategic national priorities, and drive the commercialization of home-grown technology,” President Tinubu highlighted in his letter to the Senate.
Following the reading of the executive communication, Senate President Godswill Akpabio referred the bill to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.
