social science field research West Africa

Applications are active for IFRA-Nigeria Research Grants 2027, offered by French Institute for Research in Africa (IFRA-Nigeria). The programme supports Master's year two and other postgraduate/early-career research in Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Chad or Togo. Its financial package is substantial: Up to €1,000 per project. Half of an approved grant is paid at the start of the project in January 2027, with the second half released after submission of the final report. Applications for this cycle close 30 October 2026 at 23:59 West Africa Time.

The 2027 call funds fieldwork and archive-based humanities and social-science research connected with IFRA-Nigeria's regional mandate and research themes. The current cycle opened 2027 call published and opened in September 2026. The normal programme or award period is Projects funded for January to October 2027; final reports are due before 15 November 2027. The support is tied to the specific study, research, placement or project structure described by the funder.

How the programme works

The main academic, research or professional scope is Humanities and social sciences, including the institute's themes on beliefs/body/health, citizenship/gender/mobilisation, heritage/environment and digital humanities. The opportunity is relevant here because it supports Master's year two and other postgraduate/early-career research. The 2027 call funds fieldwork and archive-based humanities and social-science research connected with IFRA-Nigeria's regional mandate and research themes. Applicants should make sure their proposed course, project, placement or research topic fits this scope before completing the application.

What successful applicants receive

Up to €1,000 per project. Half of an approved grant is paid at the start of the project in January 2027, with the second half released after submission of the final report. For an applicant comparing postgraduate funding, the practical point is to separate the published package from costs that remain outside it. The programme should therefore be described as fixed-value grant and not as providing benefits the organisation has not listed. Where rates can change by academic year, the final award-year amount should be taken from the official offer.

Eligibility

Second-year Master's students, doctoral and postdoctoral researchers and other researchers conducting eligible humanities or social-science work in one or more countries covered by IFRA-Nigeria. The call states that no nationality requirement applies. Projects must concern at least one country within IFRA-Nigeria's nine-country geographical mandate, fall within humanities or social sciences and connect to at least one of the institute's current research axes. A dissemination or research-output component is also required. Host location and applicant eligibility are separate issues: the programme is hosted in Nigeria / West Africa, while eligibility is determined by the rules above. Applicants should not assume a programme is global simply because it accepts some international candidates.

What the award supports

For postgraduate applicants, the important point is how the funding connects to the work supported. This is not unrestricted cash: it is attached to master's year two and other postgraduate/early-career research and to the organisation's stated purpose. In this case, the published package is Up to €1,000 per project. Half of an approved grant is paid at the start of the project in January 2027, with the second half released after submission of the final report. Applicants can therefore judge whether the support matches the costs and activities involved.

Documents to prepare

Applicants follow the call's stated application modalities and submit the proposal, budget and other supporting information requested by IFRA-Nigeria in English or French. These requirements should be prepared using the formats and limits in the current instructions. Where university admission is separate from funding, completing one does not complete the other. A reference, supervisor approval, nomination or endorsement is required only where the programme states it.

Application route

Send the complete 2027 grant application using the submission procedure published in the official IFRA-Nigeria call before the WAT deadline. The opening information for this round is: 2027 call published and opened in September 2026. Applicants should use the official route linked below because it contains the current form, programme conditions and cycle-specific changes.

Deadline

The deadline is 30 October 2026 at 23:59 West Africa Time. There is no nationality restriction, but the research itself must fit IFRA-Nigeria's geographical mandate. This makes location of the project different from nationality eligibility. Applicants should allow time for any separate admission, supervisor approval, nomination, reference submission or institutional sign-off described above.

Before submission, confirm that you fall within the eligibility group for this cycle, that the proposed course or project is eligible, and that every required document can be submitted by 30 October 2026 at 23:59 West Africa Time. There is no nationality restriction, but the research itself must fit IFRA-Nigeria's geographical mandate. This makes location of the project different from nationality eligibility. The official page below is the correct place to begin.

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