BY AHMED AKANBI
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve the establishment of a National Research and Development Fund.
Tinubu’s request was contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday as plenary resumed after nine-week recess.
The letter transmits the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026 for consideration.
According to Tinubu, the bill seeks to consolidate fragmented research funds scattered across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) into a single central pool.
He said the Fund would serve as a central mechanism through which research agencies and academic institutions can access funding.
”The Bill is to consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilization of resources, and consolidate fragmented R&D Funds across MDAs,” the President stated.
Tinubu said the Fund would operate as a competitive financing vehicle to foster strategic collaboration among research agencies, academia and private sector.
He said it would catalyze groundbreaking innovations, streamline resource allocation according to national priorities and drive commercialization of home-grown technology.
The President said the move would reduce foreign technological dependency and ensure transparency in funding decisions through strict evaluation criteria.
He disclosed that the Fund would be established as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, adding that it would
draw direct funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.
Tinubu noted that proliferation of research institutions with separate mandates and budgets has hampered efficient use of limited resources.
The bill, he said, will enable effective management of scarce funds for Science, Technology and Innovation development.
He added that the bill has been reviewed by Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice to align with national education objectives and ensure legal clarity.
”While it is my hope that the Senate will consider the Bill and its passage into law expeditiously, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration,” Tinubu said.
Senate President Akpabio referred the bill to the Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative action.