President Bola Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve a bill seeking to establish the National Research and Development Fund.

The request was contained in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary on Tuesday following the lawmakers’ return from a nine-week recess.

In the letter, Tinubu said the National Research and Development Fund (Establishment) Bill, 2026, was aimed at consolidating research financing and improving the utilisation of funds allocated to research and development in the country.

The President said the proposed fund would consolidate fragmented research and development funds currently spread across various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) into a central funding mechanism for research agencies and academic institutions.

He said the fund would promote collaboration among research agencies, universities and the private sector, while supporting innovation, improving resource allocation and encouraging the commercialisation of locally developed technologies.

According to Tinubu, the proposed agency would operate under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology and receive direct funding from the Nigerian Content Development Fund.

He said the current structure, in which several research institutions and agencies operate with separate mandates and budgetary allocations, had made it necessary to establish a coordinated funding mechanism.

The President said the proposed arrangement would ensure more effective management of available resources and support the development of science, technology and innovation in Nigeria.

Tinubu added that the bill had been reviewed by relevant stakeholders, including the Ministries of Education, Innovation, Science and Technology, and Justice, to ensure its alignment with national education and scientific innovation priorities.

He urged the Senate to consider and pass the bill expeditiously.

The bill was subsequently referred to the Senate Committee on Rules and Business for further legislative consideration.