The National Laureate Committee has announced an extension of the submission deadline for entries to the 2026 National Laureate Programme, moving it from August 31 to September 15, 2026. This decision comes in response to requests from various tertiary institutions seeking additional time to complete their internal selection processes for the inaugural edition of the programme.

Ita Ekpenyong, the committee's spokesman, confirmed the new deadline in a statement released in Abuja. He emphasized that this extension aims to allow universities, polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, military institutions, and other eligible tertiary institutions to finalize their Institutional Laureate Selection Committees and submit their approved research entries.

The National Laureate Programme, which was launched by the Federal Government under the leadership of Minister of Education Dr. Tunji Alausa, is part of the Renewed Hope Agenda. It seeks to redefine the reward system for academic research and innovation in Nigeria. The initiative serves as a national platform to identify, evaluate, celebrate, and reward outstanding undergraduate dissertations, master’s theses, and doctoral research from accredited Nigerian tertiary institutions.

To support this initiative, the programme is backed by an annual research prize fund of ₦365 million. Under the framework for 2026, each eligible institution is permitted to submit a total of 18 exceptional research works, which can include six undergraduate dissertations, six master’s theses, and six PhD theses, or their recognized equivalents.

Ekpenyong reiterated the importance of the programme, stating, “All entries must now be submitted on or before Tuesday, September 15, 2026, through the programme’s approved channels.” He also expressed gratitude for the cooperation of tertiary institutions and reaffirmed the committee's commitment to establishing a credible platform for recognizing scholarship and enhancing Nigeria’s knowledge and innovation ecosystem.