WorldStage— President Bola Tinubu has transmitted the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026 to the Nigerian Senate, requesting its swift consideration and passage into law.
The executive communication was presented during Tuesday’s plenary session, with Senate President Godswill Akpabio reading the official letter aloud to lawmakers at the National Assembly.
In the correspondence, President Tinubu emphasized that the proposed legislation aims to reform Nigeria’s scientific landscape by consolidating research financing and ensuring a more efficient utilization of national resources.
According to the executive letter, the bill proposes establishing the National Research and Development Fund as an agency supervised by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology.
The proposed bill seeks to consolidate fragmented research and development funds currently domiciled across multiple Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) into a unified, central pool.
The centralized framework is designed to provide seamless, structured access to funding for universities, polytechnics, research institutes, and private-sector innovators.
President Tinubu noted that the draft underwent rigorous vetting by key entities including the Ministries of Education, Justice, and Innovation, Science and Technology to ensure alignment with national priorities.
The President requested expedited legislative action, following earlier Federal Executive Council approval aimed at boosting Nigeria’s technological ecosystem, unlocking productivity, and addressing development challenges through structured financing.
Officials believe the fund will bridge the historic gap between academic research and commercial product development, fostering a knowledge-based economy.
President Tinubu expressed optimism that the upper chamber will grant the bill expeditious consideration and passage in the national interest.
The Senate is expected to schedule the bill for a second reading later in the week to refer it to relevant committees for further legislative input.
