6
Undergraduate
Six dissertations or recognised equivalents, one from each thematic area.
Eligibility
Who can participate
Participation is open to Nigerian students enrolled in accredited tertiary institutions, and their lecturers submitting entries to the national competition through their respective institutions. The National Laureate Programme accepts eligible projects, dissertations, theses, and other research works from universities, as well as their recognised equivalents from polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education, military institutions, and other accredited post-secondary institutions.
Core eligibility requirements
Institutional approval, academic quality and NERD compliance
Eligibility is determined through a combination of institutional accreditation, student qualification, academic acceptance, research integrity, internal selection and mandatory NERD deposit.
Inclusive participation
Equivalent qualifications are expressly recognised
References to Undergraduate dissertations, Master's theses and Doctoral theses include their recognised equivalents in polytechnics, monotechnics, colleges of education and other accredited tertiary institutions. This ensures that participation is not limited to universities and that every eligible institution may showcase its finest scholarly work.
Approved academic levels
Three levels across six thematic areas
Each institution may nominate one outstanding work in each thematic area at each approved academic level, subject to its internal evaluation and selection process.
6
Master's
Six theses or recognised equivalents, one from each thematic area.
6
Doctoral
Six theses or recognised equivalents, one from each thematic area.
The six thematic areas
Every eligible work must fit an approved area
Agriculture
Teaching Innovation
Medicine and Health Sciences
Science, Engineering, and Technology
Law
Arts and Social Sciences
Guidance for students
Students who believe that their dissertation, thesis, project or recognised equivalent is outstanding and of the highest scholarly quality are encouraged to bring it confidently to the attention of their Institution Laureate Selection Committee for assessment and possible selection.
Guidance for academic staff
Supervisors, co-supervisors, Heads of Department, Deans and other academic leaders who identify exceptional student works are encouraged to present them to the Institution Laureate Selection Committee for independent assessment and review.
Research integrity and originality
Eligible works must satisfy the approved standards of research integrity and originality. Similarity reports may support the review process, but no specific commercial platform is prescribed by this page. Software-generated percentages must be interpreted through informed academic judgement and do not, on their own, establish plagiarism or misconduct.
A work may be disqualified where plagiarism, fabrication, false information, research misconduct or another material breach of the approved requirements is established through proper review.
Understand the full participation pathway
Learn how eligible works are deposited, selected, entered and progressed through the Institution, Regional and National stages.
View How to Apply