The Federal Government has approved N10 billion for the 2026 TETFund National Research Fund, a 64.2 per cent increase from the previous cycle, with funding targeted at research across 30 priority areas.
The Federal Government has approved N10 billion for the 2026 Grant Cycle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF), representing a 64.2 per cent increase over the N6.09 billion committed to 174 research projects in the 2025 cycle.
TETFund disclosed this in its 2026 NRF Grant Cycle Call for Concept Notes, signed by its Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.
According to Echono, the increased funding is aimed at strengthening research and boosting the capacity of Nigerian researchers.
The agency announced that the portal would open for concept-note submissions on August 31, 2026, while the deadline for submission is October 15, 2026.
It stressed that “There will be no extension.”
The Fund said the N10 billion would support research across 30 prioritised thematic areas, grouped under Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation; and Cross-Cutting research areas.
According to the Fund, access to the grant would begin with the submission of concept notes by Principal Investigators (PIs), with only applicants whose projects are adjudged fundable proceeding to the full proposal stage.
It said lecturers in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria were eligible to apply, while multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research involving scholars from different disciplines would be encouraged.
“The PI must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution regarded as the Coordinating Institution and guarantor of proper application of the funds for the project.
“Thereafter, the successful proposals for the award of grant will be presented to the Board of Trustees of TETFund for approval and disbursement of funds,” it said.
The Fund added that the Principal Investigator must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution serving as the coordinating institution and guarantor of the proper application of funds.
The application process, TETFund explained, would be conducted entirely online through the NRF portal.
It stressed that all submitted concept notes would be subjected to evaluation by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC), after which successful PIs would be invited to develop and submit full proposals.
The Fund said the PI and at least one member of the research team of proposals adjudged fundable would also be required to defend their projects before the committee.
