The Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) has officially announced the commencement of the 2025 National Research Fund (NRF) Grant Cycle. This follows the Federal Government’s recent approval of a total allocation of N7.5 billion for the scheme. The new grant cycle opens with a Call for Concept Notes, offering researchers in public tertiary institutions a fresh opportunity to access vital research funding.
In 2024, the NRF awarded close to N4.25 billion to support 158 Research Projects. According to TETFund, this positive outcome has set the stage for expanding support in the 2025 cycle. The agency emphasized that the submission of Concept Notes marks the first step in the process of accessing the 2025 NRF grant.
“The process of accessing the 2025 NRF Grant starts with the Call for Concept Notes,” the Fund stated. “This Call-for-Submission-of-Concept-Notes by Principal Investigators (PIs) of proposed Research Projects will be followed by the submission of Full Proposals by only those whose Concept Notes have been evaluated and the Research Projects are considered fundable.”
The 2025 grant cycle features thirty prioritized thematic areas, grouped into three main categories: Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS), Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI), and Cross-Cutting (CC).
a. Category 1
Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS)
Thematic Area 1 – Citizenship and National Integration
Thematic Area 2 – Conflict, Defense and Security
Thematic Area 3 – Economic Development and Globalization
Thematic Area 4 – Education and Human Capital
Thematic Area 5 – Gender, Equity and Social Inclusion
Thematic Area 6 – Governance, Politics, Law and Ethics
Thematic Area 7 – History, Culture and Identities
Thematic Area 8 – Humanities, Social Sciences, Technology and Business Interface
Thematic Area 9 – Languages, Literatures and Media
Thematic Area 10 – Population and Migration
Thematic Area 11 – Social Development and Welfare
Thematic Area 12 – Tourism, Sports and Recreation
b. Category 2
Science, Engineering, Technology and Innovation (SETI)
Thematic Area 13 – Agriculture and Food Security
Thematic Area 14 – Geosciences
Thematic Area 15 – Health and Social Welfare
Thematic Area 16 – Industry and Innovation
Thematic Area 17 – Information Technology, Computing and Telecommunications
Thematic Area 18 – Power and Energy
Thematic Area 19 – Science and Engineering
Thematic Area 20 – Space Science and Technology
Thematic Area 21 – Sustainable use of Natural Resources and Terrestrial Ecosystems
Thematic Area 22 – Transport and Infrastructure
Thematic Area 23 – Water and Sanitation
c. Category 3
Cross-Cutting (CC)
Thematic Area 24 – Blue Economy
Thematic Area 25 – Clean and Affordable Energy
Thematic Area 26 – Entrepreneurship and Wealth Creation
Thematic Area 27 – Environment, Housing, Urban and Regional Development
Thematic Area 28 – Innovation and Technology in National Defence Capabilities
Thematic Area 29 – Resource Governance
Thematic Area 30 – National System of Innovation
The eligibility criteria for the 2025 grant cycle are clearly defined to ensure a transparent and accountable process.
i. Lecturers in Public Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria are eligible
ii. Multidisciplinary and Interdisciplinary researches, comprising researchers from various disciplines, are encouraged
iii. The Principal Investigator (PI), who must not be below the rank of a Senior Lecturer in a University or Principal Lecturer in a Polytechnic or College of Education, will lead the Research Team and be personally responsible and held accountable for the conduct of the research
iv. An added requirement is that the PI must be institution-based, with the PI’s institution regarded as the Coordinating Institution and guarantor of proper application of the funds for the project
The submission portal will be open from 1st August 2025, and interested researchers have until 28th August 2025 to submit their Concept Notes.
TETFund clarified that the entire application process will be conducted online. “The Principal Investigator is expected to visit https://nrf.tetfund.gov.ng, for the preparation and final submission of the Concept Note as well as the Research Proposal,” the Fund explained.
After submission, all Concept Notes will be screened by the National Research Fund Screening and Monitoring Committee (NRFSMC). Only the PIs of selected Concept Notes will be invited to submit Full Proposals. These proposals will also be reviewed through the same online platform.
In a bid to strengthen transparency and competitiveness, the Fund further noted that “The PI and, at least, one other member of the Research Team of a proposed Research Project, considered fundable, shall be invited to defend their proposal before the NRFS&MC. Thereafter such proposals, found worthy of funding, shall be recommended to the Board of Trustees of TETFund for approval and disbursement of funds.”
The NRF 2025 is expected to attract a wide range of academic researchers from universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education, further strengthening the country’s research output and its impact on national planning.