The Federal Government has increased funding for the 2026 Grant Cycle of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) National Research Fund (NRF) to N10 billion.
Newsonspot reports that the allocation represents a 64.2 per cent increase over the N6.09 billion committed to 174 research projects under the 2025 grant cycle.
TETFund announced the development in its 2026 NRF Grant Cycle Call for Concept Notes, signed by its Executive Secretary, Arc. Sonny Echono.
Echono said the increased allocation was designed to strengthen research and expand the capacity of Nigerian researchers to undertake impactful studies.
The Fund said its online portal would open for submission of concept notes on August 31, 2026, with applications closing on October 15, 2026.
It emphasised that the deadline would not be extended.
According to TETFund, the N10 billion allocation will fund research across 30 priority thematic areas under three broad categories: Humanities and Social Sciences; Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation; and Cross-Cutting Research.
The grant application process will begin with the submission of concept notes by Principal Investigators (PIs).
TETFund said only concept notes considered fundable would progress to the full proposal stage.
Lecturers in public tertiary institutions in Nigeria are eligible to apply, while researchers undertaking multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary studies are encouraged to participate.
The Fund said the Principal Investigator must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution serving as the Coordinating Institution and guarantor of the proper utilisation of funds allocated to the research.
It explained that successful proposals would be submitted to the TETFund Board of Trustees for approval before funds are disbursed.
TETFund said all applications must be submitted electronically through the NRF portal, adding that no physical submission would be required.
The submitted concept notes will undergo evaluation by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFS&MC).
Following the assessment, successful PIs will be invited to develop and submit detailed research proposals.
The Fund added that the Principal Investigator and at least one member of the research team attached to each proposal adjudged fundable would be required to defend the project before the committee.
TETFund urged eligible researchers to familiarise themselves with the application guidelines and submit their concept notes within the stipulated period.
