The enactment of the Federal Colleges of Education (Establishment) Act, 2023, which empowers Colleges of Education in Nigeria to concurrently award the Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) and Bachelor’s degrees in Education, represents a watershed moment in the nation’s teacher education landscape. This paper examines the Dual Mandate as a strategic catalyst for strengthening geography education research and innovation in Nigerian Colleges of Education. Drawing on policy analysis, a mixed-methods empirical study of 127 geography education stakeholders across six Federal Colleges of Education, comparative analysis with South Africa’s teacher education reform trajectory, and critical engagement with scholarly perspectives on academic drift and institutional differentiation, the paper argues that the Dual Mandate offers unprecedented opportunities to reposition geography education research, enhance curriculum innovation, develop institutional research capacity, and foster pedagogical creativity. However, the realization of these opportunities is contingent upon deliberate policy engagement, resource mobilization, gender-responsive implementation, and the cultivation of a robust research culture within geography education departments. The paper presents a five-pillar strategic framework with phased implementation timelines and concludes with recommendations for policy, practice, and further research.

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