By Solomon Odeniyi
The Nigerian Academy of Science has vowed to push for the actualisation of the Federal Government’s decision to allocate one per cent of Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product to scientific research.
Speaking on Wednesday at the seventh annual scientific conference of the Academy and at the presentation of the NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences, the Academy’s President, Prof. Abubakar Sambo, said that while Nigeria has quality researchers, insufficient funding has limited the impact of research on national development.
“(Funding of research in the country) This was discussed, and the president recently decided that 1% of the GDP should go to research. That is what we are going to work to actualise. You know, a government statement is one thing; actualising it is another. But we are going to push for its full implementation,” Sambo said.
He explained that the renewed advocacy is aimed at ensuring research moves beyond academic publications to practical solutions that address national challenges.
As part of its efforts to strengthen research output, NAS rotates the Gold Medal award across scientific disciplines due to financial constraints.
The 2026 edition focused on the biological sciences, while the physical sciences are scheduled for the next cycle.
Sambo said, “This gold award, we’re doing it deliberately to encourage up-and-coming researchers to strive to attain excellence in neuroscience and technology areas. Because of the financial requirements of the entire prize, we have a certificate, we have a gold medal, and we have one million Naira. We cannot do it in all segments.
“So, this year, we do it in biological sciences. Next year, we do it for physical sciences because of financial limitations.”
The Academy has also established the Nigerian Young Academy to mentor early-career researchers, particularly recent PhD graduates, guiding them toward impactful, market-driven research.
“This year’s theme is from research to the market,” Sambo said, adding that NAS plans to collate expert advisory viewpoints and work closely with relevant government agencies and serious private sector players to ensure more research outputs are commercialised.
The NAS Gold Medal for Life Sciences was awarded to Prof. Stephen Adefegha of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in recognition of his research on the biological activities of Moringa oleifera.
Adefegha said his work aimed to establish scientific models for the traditional use of moringa in medicine.
Expressing gratitude, he urged young researchers to remain consistent, resilient, and committed to hard work, noting that sustained effort eventually yields meaningful research outcomes and recognition.
Calls for increased research funding have intensified in recent years.
In December 2025, former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Emeritus Prof. Peter Okebukola, decried low funding for research in Nigerian universities, noting that the country currently invests only 0.2 per cent of GDP in research.
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