NRF Portal

Principal Investigator
User Guide

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Table of Contents
Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 2
User Registration................................................................................................................................ 4
Account Verification........................................................................................................................... 6
Account Login .................................................................................................................................... 7
Forgot Password................................................................................................................................. 8
Concept Note ..................................................................................................................................... 8
• Prepare Concept Note ............................................................................................................... 8
• View Concept Note.................................................................................................................. 10
Full Proposal .................................................................................................................................... 11
• Prepare Full Proposal .............................................................................................................. 11
• View Full Proposal................................................................................................................... 12
Budget .............................................................................................................................................. 12
• Prepare Proposal Budget ......................................................................................................... 12
• Modify Proposal Budget .......................................................................................................... 14
Profile ............................................................................................................................................... 16
• Update My Profile ................................................................................................................... 16
• Add Research Team Members ................................................................................................ 17
Bulletin Board .................................................................................................................................. 17
• Create Discussion Topic ......................................................................................................... 17
• Participate in Discussion ......................................................................................................... 18
Download User Manual ................................................................................................................... 18
• Download User manual ........................................................................................................... 18
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Introduction
This guide provides you with a step-by-step procedure that enables you navigate the modules
presented in the application with ease; and at the same time, enrich your knowledge of the
components of the solution.
The guide is designed to defeat dead-ends while carrying out operations and to also equip the user
with an independent and first-hand know-how of the use of the application in carrying out desired
functions.
It reveals in details the operations represented by each module, just as they appear on the
application.

NRF Portal
The NRF Portal is an Electronic Document Management System (EDMS) which achieves the
much-needed integration of Electronic Proposals, Concept Notes and other relevant
documentation of the Principal Investigator(s) for improved document availability, accessibility,
reliability, and usefulness. It ultimately helps NRF to provide more effective, efficient, qualitative,
and convenient submission and assessment services for its teeming applicants.

EDMS is a cloud-based database managing information about a PI’s personal details, members
of the Research team, Concept Note and the Full Proposal submissions. It securely integrates
this information into a single profile, which allows relevant documents to be viewed and
assessed seamlessly, by selected assessor(s) at any given place or time.

It features well-integrated sets of modules that contain standard forms, processes and functions
representing record-generating fields, routines and data processing in the present assessment
setting.

The EDMS is aimed at automating the operations of the National Research Fund sequentially
involving four steps:
Step 1: Call for Concept Notes with a platform for the preparation of the application using the
format presented in Appendix I attached to the Research Brief, followed by the electronic
submission.
Step 2: Processing of the submitted concept notes on thematic basis for each research category
followed by allocation to qualified assessors, and the determination of the successful concept
notes with their PIs invited to submit the Full Proposals.
Step 3: Call for submission and reception of the Full Proposals followed by distribution to
qualified assessors and the processing of their scores.
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Step 4: Determination of the proposals to be awarded grants based on the available fund.

The software platform has been built with adequate flexibility to accommodate specific
requirements as they develop while allowing different categories of users seamless access to
information.
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User Registration
1. Access the NRF Portal at nrf.tetfund.gov.ng
2. Click on “New Principal Investigator? Create Account here”

3. Fill in the required fields or select from the list of options where available
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The required fields include;

- Title
- Surname
- First Name
- Other Names
- Phone Number
- Sex
- Date of Birth
- Rank
- Please select your current rank from the dropdown list e.g. “Professor”
- Institution Type
Please select the type of institution from the dropdown list e.g. “University”
- Institution
When an Institution type is selected, a list of accredited institutions in Nigeria is
displayed, kindly select the applicable institution
- Highest Qualification
Select the highest qualification you have obtained e.g. “MSc.”
- Email address
- Please make sure to use a valid email address that is accessible to you. This is because to
complete this registration, you will be required to verify your email address.
- Password
Please match the requested format. Password must match the required pattern of at least
one letter, one number and at least one Special Character and 8-15 characters in length.

4. Click on submit
5. A confirmation link will be sent to your email address. Please click on the link to verify
your email and complete your registration process.
Please note that multiple registrations are not allowed. You can only register once as a Principal
Investigator.
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Account Verification
After successfully creating a Principal Investigator account, a verification link will be sent to
your email address. Please click on the “Verify Account” button on your email to do so.

Some google mail (Gmail) users may encounter a warning message while performing this action
as shown below; Kindly ignore and click on Proceed

Please note that the NRF portal (nrf.tetfund.gov.ng) is fully secure and SSL encrypted.
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Clicking “Proceed” will redirect you to your default web browser or open a new tab with the
success message “Your account verification was successful, enter login credentials to continue”

Congratulations! You are now ready to start your application.

Account Login
1. Access the NRF Portal at nrf.tetfund.gov.ng
2. Click on the Email Textbox and enter your registered email address
3. Click on the Password Textbox and enter your Password
4. Click on Sign in
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Forgot Password
This is used to retrieve forgotten password.
1. On the Login page; Click on Forgot Password

2. Enter your Email address

3. Click Reset Password
4. A message notification to check your email to reset password will be displayed.
5. Click the link on your email to reset password

Concept Note
• Prepare Concept Note
This module allows you to prepare and submit your Concept Note for evaluation.
1. On the side menu, Click on Prepare Concept Note
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2. Fill in the required fields (all fields are compulsory, please see Appendix attached to the Research
Brief).
The system allows you to prepare your Concept Note offline for subsequent copy and
paste appropriately in this section.

3. Click on Next to save your entries and navigate to the next page

4. Enter the information required in the appropriate boxes and click Next to save and
continue

5. Click and hold the bottom right corner of the text boxes, then drag to expand or retract
the text boxes.
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6. On the Submit Page, Click Submit to submit your Concept Note.

7. You will be prompted to confirm that you wish to submit, Click Yes to submit

• Kindly review your Concept Note before clicking on the ‘Submit’ button as you will no
longer be able to edit after submission.
• The Concept Note should not be more than 1,500 words.

• View Concept Note

This allows you to preview submitted Concept Notes. Submitted Concept Notes can no longer
be modified.
1. On the side menu, Click on Concept Note
2. Click on View Concept Note
3. Navigate through the content of your submitted Concept Note by clicking on the
buttons at the top of the page or by using the “Previous” and “Next” buttons below
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Full Proposal

• Prepare Full Proposal

Upon approval of your Concept Note, an email notification will be sent to you to prepare and
submit your full proposal based on the Concept Note earlier processed. Use the web link in the
mail or visit the NRF Portal to submit a Full Proposal
1. On the side menu, Click on Full Proposal
2. Click on Prepare Full Proposal

3. Fill in the required fields

4. Click on Next to save your entries and navigate to the next page
5. On Page 6, before you save, click on Click here to add Research Team Member

6. Click Add New Member or Edit to modify an already existing information.

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7. Fill in the details of your Research team (note that this compulsory and very vital)
8. Click on Add to Research Team to Save
9. Return to the Application and complete other fields
10. Then, click Submit
11. You will be prompted to confirm that you wish to submit, click Yes to submit.

Please note that you must prepare your Full proposal budget before submission. To
prepare the Full Proposal Budget please follow the steps below

• View Full Proposal

This allows you to Preview your Full Proposal before and after final submission
1. On the side menu, Click on Full Proposal
2. Click on View Full Proposal

Budget

• Prepare Proposal Budget

After preparing your Full Proposal, you will also be required to prepare and submit a budget. To
begin;
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Note that this page can also be assessed by clicking the “Click here to Add Full Proposal
Budget” on Page 9 of the Full Proposal Application

1. On the side menu, Click on Budget

2. Click on Prepare Proposal Budget

3. Fill in the required fields

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c
b

1. Enter the Budget item in the area labelled ‘a’

2. Enter Expected item amounts in the area labelled ‘b’
3. The sum of your entries will be calculated automatically in the area labelled ‘c’
4. Click on Next to save your entries and navigate to the next page
5. Repeat Steps 1-2, on the other pages until complete
6. On the final page, Click Save

• Modify Proposal Budget

This allows you to edit your Proposal Budget before final submission
1. On the side menu, Click on Budget
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2. Click on Modify Proposal Budget

3. Click Edit modify the fields or Delete to erase an entry

4. Click Save

*Please note that you cannot modify your Full Proposal Budget after submission of Full
Proposal
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Profile
• Update My Profile
To update your profile and passport photographs, follow the steps below;
On the side menu, Click on Profile

1. Click on Update My Profile

2. Modify the necessary fields

3. Click in Choose File to add an image from your computer folder
4. Click on Upload Passport Photograph
5. Finally, click on Save to update the new information.
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• Add Research Team Members

This allows you to add Research Team Members for your Proposed Research Work.
On the side menu, Click on Profile
1. Click on Add Research Team Members
2. Add the details of Research Members

3. Click Add to research Team to save

An email notification will be sent to the Research Team Member once he or she is successfully
added to your Research Team.
Note that this page can also be assesses by clicking the “Click here to add Research Team
Member” on Page 6 of the Full Proposal Application

Bulletin Board
This is used to communicate or discuss with every member of the research team.

• Create Discussion Topic

1. On the side menu, Click on Bulletin Board
2. Click on Create Discussion Topic
3. Enter a Topic in the textbox e.g. “Research Workplan”
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4. Click on Create Bulletin Topic to save

Note: You can create as many Topics as necessary

• Participate in Discussion
To start or join a conversation on any Topic
1. On the side menu, Click on Bulletin Board
2. Click on Participate in Discussion
3. Navigate to the relevant Topic and click Join

4. Type a message and click Send

Download User Manual

This is used to download a copy of the Principal Investigator User manual

• Download User manual

1. On the side menu, Click on Download User manual
The downloaded pdf document will automatically save to your preferred download location