**FG Unveils N20m Prize for Outstanding Undergraduates, Masters, and Doctoral Thesis on Data** In a major boost to academic integrity in Nigeria, the Federal Government has announced an annual award scheme to recognize outstanding undergraduates, masters, and doctoral thesis on data. The maiden edition of the Nigerian Education Repository and Data Bank (NERD) loyalty awards is set to hold in November 2026. According to the Minister of Education, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the NERD platform is a strategic national infrastructure designed to secure, standardize, digitize, and authenticate academic records across post-secondary and tertiary institutions in Nigeria. The platform, which has linked over 350 tertiary institutions, issues national credential numbers and runs real-time verification for more than 133,000 students. To further promote academic excellence, the government has approved the establishment of the NERD Annual National Laureate Prize and Awards Programme. Outstanding undergraduates, masters, and doctoral thesis on data will be rewarded with prizes ranging from N5 million to N20 million. The government aims to use the platform to deter certificate forgery and promote academic integrity. Compliance with the NERD data bank has become mandatory for participation in the National Youth Service Corps and for accessing funds from various government agencies, including the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE), and TETFUND. The government is determined to enforce compliance and ensure that academic records are authentic and verifiable. The NERD platform represents the government's commitment to education data ownership, zero tolerance for academic fraud, and the preservation of Nigeria's national academic history. With the approval of the Federal Executive Council, NERD was established as the digitization vehicle of Nigeria's education sector, with a mandate to administer National Credential Numbers (NCN) and the National Credential Verification Service (NCVS). The NERD loyalty awards will serve as a catalyst for promoting academic excellence and integrity in Nigeria's education sector. It is a welcome development that will encourage students to produce high-quality research and thesis, and also provide a platform for recognizing and rewarding outstanding academic achievements.