IFRA-Nigeria Research Grants 2027 give humanities and social sciences researchers up to €1,000 per project for fieldwork or archive stays between January and October 2027. IFRA-Nigeria, the French Institute for Research in Africa hosted at the University of Ibadan, accepts applications until 30 October 2026 at 23:59 WAT. This call is for researchers, not for founders.
Most Africapreneurs readers are entrepreneurs and will not qualify. The call speaks to second-year master’s students, doctoral candidates, postdoctoral researchers and established researchers in the humanities and social sciences, for example those studying how African societies work, organise and remember.
At a glance
| Deadline | 30 October 2026, 23:59 WAT |
| Who can apply | Second-year master’s students, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers, and established researchers in the humanities and social sciences. No nationality requirement |
| Grant | Up to €1,000 per project |
| Countries covered | Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Chad and Togo |
| Project period | January to October 2027 |
| Cost to apply | No fee mentioned on the call page |
| Official page | IFRA-Nigeria Research Grants 2027 |
Who can apply
The call page names four groups: second-year master’s students, doctoral students, postdoctoral researchers and researchers. The discipline limit is firm, since only the humanities and social sciences qualify. The page states that no nationality requirements apply.
A project must fit IFRA-Nigeria’s nine-country mandate and one of four research axes: “Beliefs, bodies and health”, “Citizenship, gender and mobilisation”, “Heritage dynamics and environment”, and “Digital Humanities” (a transversal axis). Every project must also include a valorisation component, such as publications or oral communications, linked to IFRA-Nigeria’s editorial and research activities. The page encourages institutional partnerships in the host countries.
What you get
The grant is a maximum of €1,000 per project, and the page says about a dozen projects will be funded. It is meant for work that involves fieldwork missions or stays in archives. Half of the grant is paid in January 2027 and the second half only after the final report is submitted, due on 15 November 2027.
How to apply
- Check that your discipline, your countries of work and one of the four axes match the call on the official page.
- Prepare a cover letter (one page maximum), a CV (three pages maximum), a detailed budget on the IFRA-Nigeria template and a research project description (four pages maximum, excluding bibliography and budget) on the template.
- Merge everything into a single PDF file. The call accepts French or English.
- Submit through the Google Form linked from the official page by 30 October 2026, 23:59 WAT.
- Wait for the answer, which IFRA-Nigeria says it will send by email in December 2026 at the latest.
Advice from the Africapreneurs team
- Be honest about fit before you write a word. If you are an entrepreneur, a business analyst or a scientist outside the social sciences and humanities, this call is not meant for you.
- Researchers who study African economies, work or cities should map their question to one of the four axes. A project that does not fit an axis does not meet the call.
- Write your own proposal. The call page bars proposals written by someone other than the applicant, and any use of AI tools must be disclosed and justified, or the application is disqualified.
- Plan the valorisation component early, because every project must name its publications or presentations.
- Doctoral candidates comparing funding options can also read our post on the AGNES Intra-Africa Mobility Grants.
FAQ
Can entrepreneurs or startups apply?
No. The call is for researchers and students in the humanities and social sciences, not for businesses.
Is there a fee to apply?
The call page mentions no application fee.
Do I need a particular nationality?
No. The page states that no nationality requirements apply. Your project must still fit the nine countries and one of the axes.
Who do I contact with questions?
IFRA-Nigeria lists info@ifra-nigeria.org as its contact.
