NIGERIA: Minister of Education Launches National Capacity Building Programme On NERD Policy

By Ameenat Hamzat, Lagos, Nigeria

The Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, has emphasized the importance of education and data as essential tools for national development, stressing that they capture ideas, preserve research, and record the intellectual history of the nation.

Speaking at the 2026 National Capacity Building Programme on the Nigeria Education Repository and Databank (NERD) Policy, Alausa met with NERD focal persons and institutional representatives from across Nigeria.

Since its launch just four months ago, NERD has preserved nearly 100,000 student submissions, onboarded more than 350 institutions, and enrolled over 133,000 students and 6,800 lecturers.

Alausa said:“Every academic record tells the story of our nation’s knowledge and innovation—and NERD ensures these ideas are securely preserved, verifiable, and accessible for future generations.”

The Minister also announced the creation of the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize to recognize outstanding undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral theses.

“To promote excellence, we have approved the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize, awarding exceptional theses with ₦5–20 million, starting November 2026.”

Compliance with the NERD Policy is now mandatory for participation or exemption from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), and institutions must align with the policy to access services from agencies including TETFund, NUC, NBTE, NCCE, and ITF.

Alausa urged institutional leaders, NERD focal persons, and partner agencies to uphold the policy:

“I urge all NERD focal persons, institutional leaders, and partner agencies to uphold compliance and safeguard the credibility of Nigeria’s academic records.”

He concluded: “Through NERD, we are preserving our academic history, securing knowledge, and laying the foundation for future scho

larship in Nigeria.”