President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday 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 into a central fund through which research institutions and academic bodies can access financing.

The letter transmitting the Bill was read by the President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, during plenary.

Akpabio said the Senate would expedite consideration of the proposal to facilitate its passage.

In the letter, 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.

The President said the Bill was designed to “consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilization of resources” and bring fragmented research and development funds across MDAs under one central mechanism.

The letter partly read, “The Bill is prepared in a bid to consolidate research financing, ensure more efficient utilization of resources, and to consolidate the fragmented Research and Development Funds across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) into the National Research and Development Fund to serve as a central mechanism through which research agencies and academic institutions can access funding.

“The establishment of the National Research and Development Fund will serve as a competitive central funding mechanism. It seeks to foster strategic collaboration among research agencies, academia and the private sector.

“Going further, the Bill establishes the National Research and Development 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.”

Continuing, Tinubu said the proliferation of research institutions, each operating with separate mandates and budgetary allocations, had made it necessary to improve the management of available resources for the development of science, technology and innovation.

The President said the Bill had been reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice.

“It is pertinent to note that with the current proliferation of research institutions and agencies operating within the research and development commercialization landscape, each agency operates with a separate mandate and budgetary allocations.

“In consequence of the above, the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026 is hereby forwarded to the Senate for legislative action by the National Assembly.

“While it is my hope that the Senate will consider the Bill and its passage into law expeditiously, please accept, Distinguished Senate President, Distinguished Senators, the assurances of my highest consideration,” he stated.

Tinubu said the review was aimed at ensuring that the proposed legislation aligned with national education and scientific innovation priorities.

The President also urged the Senate to consider and pass the Bill expeditiously.