Tinubu Seeks Senate Approval for National Research, Development Fund

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

The proposed legislation seeks to consolidate fragmented research and development funding across Ministries, Departments and Agencies MDAs into a central fund through which research institutions and academic bodies can access financing.

The President’s request was contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary.

Tinubu said the proposed fund would improve research financing, promote collaboration among research agencies, academia and the private sector, and ensure that funding was directed towards strategic national priorities.

He said the legislation was designed to consolidate research financing and ensure more efficient utilisation of available resources by bringing fragmented research and development funds across MDAs under one central mechanism.

According to him, the National Research and Development Fund would operate as a competitive funding mechanism to foster strategic collaboration among research agencies, academic institutions and the private sector.

The Bill also proposes establishing the 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.

Tinubu said the proliferation 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.

He said the proposed legislation had been reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice.

The President urged the Senate to consider and pass the Bill expeditiously, saying the measure was intended to align research financing with national education and scientific innovation priorities.

The proposal comes as the Federal Government advances plans to establish a more coordinated national framework for research and innovation financing, including mechanisms aimed at improving research commercialisation and collaboration among researchers, government and industry.