Tinubu Sends National Research and Development Fund Bill to Senate for Approval

President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, to the Senate for consideration and passage into law.

The proposed legislation seeks to bring fragmented research and development funding across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under a central funding mechanism to enable research institutions and academic bodies to access financial support.

The letter transmitting the Bill was read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday. Akpabio assured that the Senate would expedite consideration of the proposal to facilitate its passage.

In the letter, Tinubu said the proposed fund would improve research financing, promote collaboration among research agencies, academic institutions and the private sector, and ensure that resources were directed towards strategic national priorities.

The President explained that the Bill was designed to “consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilization of resources” by bringing scattered research and development funds across MDAs into a central pool.

He added that the fund would operate as a competitive funding mechanism to encourage strategic partnerships among research institutions, academia and private organisations. The proposed agency would be supervised by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, with funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.

Tinubu said the growing number of research institutions and agencies, each operating with separate mandates and budgetary allocations, had made it necessary to improve the coordination and management of resources for science, technology and innovation.

The President disclosed that relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice, had reviewed the Bill to ensure that it aligned with national education and scientific innovation priorities.

He urged the Senate to consider and pass the legislation expeditiously, expressing hope that the proposed fund would strengthen research financing and improve the use of available resources.