President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, to the Senate for consideration and passage into law.
Tinubu, in a letter addressed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio and read during plenary on Tuesday, said the bill was aimed at consolidating research financing and ensuring more efficient utilisation of resources.
“I am pleased to transmit to the Senate, for consideration, the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026.
“The bill is prepared in a bid to consolidate research financing and ensure more efficient utilisation of resources.
“It will consolidate the fragmented Research and Development Funds across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) into the National Research and Development Fund to serve as a central mechanism which research agencies and academic institutions can access funding,” the letter read in part.
According to the President, the proposed fund would provide a competitive central funding mechanism to promote strategic collaboration among research agencies, academic institutions and the private sector.
He said the fund would support groundbreaking innovations and streamline resource allocation based on strategic national priorities.
Tinubu added that the bill would promote transparency in funding decisions through clear evaluation criteria and support the commercialisation of home-grown technology to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign technology.
He said the bill also seeks to establish the National Research and Development Fund as an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, with direct funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.
“It is pertinent to note that with the current proliferation of research institutions and agencies operating within the research and development commercialisation landscape, each agency operates with a separate mandate and budgetary allocations.
“The bill therefore seeks to enable effective management of the limited financial resources available to these institutes and research agencies for the efficient development of science, technology and innovation in Nigeria,” he said.
Tinubu said the bill had been reviewed and vetted by relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice.
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He said the review was conducted to ensure that the proposed legislative framework aligned with national education objectives and scientific innovation priorities, while providing legal precision, institutional harmony and statutory clarity.
“In consequence of the above, the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026 is hereby forwarded to the Senate for legislative action by the National Assembly.
“It is my hope that the Senate will consider the bill and its passage into law expeditiously,” Tinubu said.
