EERC Fellowship Opportunities 2026 – Cohort III (Spring)

The EERC Fellowship Opportunities for Cohort III (Spring 2026) offer early-career researchers a unique chance to conduct policy-relevant research that directly supports sustainable agriculture, climate action, and environmental management in Nigeria. Through this fellowship, the Environmental and Economic Resource Centre (EERC) aims to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking across Nigeria’s agri-food and environmental sectors.

Moreover, the fellowship provides an immersive research environment, expert mentorship, and strong institutional support for scholars committed to real-world impact.

About the Environmental and Economic Resource Centre (EERC)

The Environmental and Economic Resource Centre (EERC) is a scientific research organisation that collaborates with local and international partners to advance inclusive agriculture, sustainable livelihoods, and environmental conservation across Africa.

Through research and capacity building, EERC develops policies, scalable technologies, and innovative practices that address poverty reduction, food security, ecosystem health, and livelihood development. In addition, EERC operates four major programmes:

EERC Core Programmes

• Agriculture and Environmental Management (AEM)
• Natural Resource Conservation (NRC)
• Livelihood and Economic Development (LED)
• Human Resource and Capacity Building (HRCB)

These programmes collectively support research areas such as climate-smart agriculture, food systems, biodiversity, renewable energy, land use change, gender and social inclusion, and conflict-related migration.

About the EERC Fellowship Cohort III (Spring 2026)

The EERC Fellowship Opportunities under Cohort III (Spring) seek to leverage evidence-based research to inform policy on climate change and sustainable agriculture in Nigeria. Consequently, EERC invites qualified early-career researchers affiliated with Nigerian universities or research institutions to apply as visiting researchers.

Selected fellows will focus on policy-relevant research within the following thematic areas:

Fellowship Thematic Areas

• Land-Use Systems and Governance
• Climate Change and Biodiversity
• Gender and Social Inclusion
• Water–Energy–Food Nexus

Fellows will rely primarily on regional or national secondary data. However, applicants with high-quality primary data may submit their datasets and documentation alongside their applications.

Fellowship Structure and Supervision

The fellowship will run for three months, beginning 13 April 2026, and will take place at the EERC Headquarters. During this period, fellows will receive joint supervision from senior researchers drawn from Nigerian universities.

Additionally, EERC will assign an internal researcher to each fellow to provide continuous mentorship and technical guidance throughout the programme.

Fellowship Benefits

The EERC Fellowship Opportunities provide both professional and personal support to selected fellows.

Key Benefits

• Monthly stipend based on experience and academic qualifications
• Fully paid accommodation with 24-hour electricity, internet access, and gym facilities
• Access to mentorship from experienced Nigerian academics and EERC researchers
• Training and funded travel opportunities
• Opportunities for co-authored publications with leading scholars

Importantly, the stipend is paid in addition to the fellow’s statutory salary. Therefore, applicants must secure approval from their home institutions.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Hold a Master’s or PhD degree awarded within the past five years
• Be affiliated with a Nigerian university or research institution
• Demonstrate proficiency in statistical or econometric software such as R
• Possess academic background in Agricultural Economics, Environmental Science, Development Economics, or related fields
• Show capacity to develop proposals in at least two fellowship thematic areas

Application Process and Deadline

Applicants must submit a complete application package, including reference letters, a motivation letter, a five-page concept note, CV, and academic documents.

📩 Submit applications to: apply@eerce.org
🗓 Deadline: Midnight, 27 February 2026

Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Further details are available here:
👉 https://eerce.org/fellowships-opening/

Call for Visiting Research Supervisors

In addition to the fellowship, EERC invites applications for Visiting Research Supervisors to mentor selected scholars across the same thematic areas.

Supervisor Eligibility Highlights

• PhD in a relevant discipline
• At least 10 publications as lead author in high-impact journals
• Minimum of 10 years postdoctoral experience
• Strong policy-oriented research background

📩 Apply by: 20 February 2026
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Support EERC’s Mission

You can also support EERC’s impactful work through donations:
👉 https://eerce.org/donate/