IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027: How Masters, PhD Researchers Can Get Up to €1,000
IFRA Nigeria opens its 2027 research grant, offering up to €1,000 to eligible Masters, PhD and researchers
The Institut Français de Recherche en Afrique au Nigeria (IFRA-Nigeria) has opened applications for its 2027 Research Grants Programme, offering funding of up to €1,000 to support research projects in the humanities and social sciences.
The grant is targeted at second-year Master’s students, doctoral students, post-doctoral researchers and other researchers whose proposed projects fit within IFRA-Nigeria’s research priorities.
Applicants have until October 30, 2026, to submit their applications for research activities scheduled to take place between January and October 2027.
Unlike many international scholarship programmes, the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant is not designed to fund an entire degree programme. Instead, the funding is intended to support specific research activities, including fieldwork missions and stays in archives.
What is the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant?
The IFRA Nigeria Research Grant is a research funding opportunity administered by the French Institute for Research in Africa, Nigeria, located within the Institute of African Studies at the University of Ibadan.
IFRA-Nigeria supports research focusing on the humanities and social sciences across its West African area of interest. Its regional scope includes Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Niger, Chad and Togo.
The 2027 call will support about a dozen individual or collective research projects during the funding period.
The maximum grant available is €1,000, although the amount awarded depends on the nature and budget of the proposed research project.
Who can apply for the IFRA Research Grant 2027?
The programme is aimed at researchers working at postgraduate and postdoctoral levels, as well as other researchers whose projects fall within the institute’s research scope.
The opportunity is particularly relevant to second-year Master’s students and doctoral students who need financial support for research activities such as fieldwork or archival work.
Post-doctoral researchers and other researchers can also apply, provided their proposed work meets the programme’s requirements.
A major condition is that the research must fall within the humanities and social sciences. Projects outside these fields are not eligible under the call.
What research areas does IFRA-Nigeria support?
Applicants must ensure that their projects fit within at least one of the institute’s research axes.
The four areas identified for the 2027 programme are:
1. Beliefs, bodies and health
This axis covers research examining issues around beliefs, health, bodies and related social and cultural questions.
2. Citizenship, gender and mobilisation
Projects under this area may examine citizenship, gender relations, political and social mobilisation, and related issues affecting communities and societies.
3. Heritage dynamics and environment
This research axis focuses on heritage, environmental questions and the ways communities interact with and preserve their cultural and physical environments.
4. Digital Humanities
The transversal axis covers research involving digital approaches within the humanities, creating room for projects that use digital methods, technologies or resources to investigate humanities and social science questions.
Applicants must also include a valorisation component in their proposals. This could involve publications, oral presentations or other ways of sharing the results of the research in connection with IFRA-Nigeria’s research and editorial activities.
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What does the €1,000 IFRA grant cover?
The grant can provide up to €1,000, depending on the project’s requirements and proposed budget.
IFRA-Nigeria says the 2027 grants are intended to finance research projects involving activities such as fieldwork missions and stays in archives.
Applicants therefore need to provide a clear explanation of how the requested funds will be used.
The grant should not be confused with a fully funded scholarship covering tuition, accommodation and living expenses for an entire academic programme. It is primarily research funding tied to an approved project.
Documents required for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant
Applicants must prepare several documents before submitting their application.
These include:
- A cover letter of no more than one page.
- A CV of no more than three pages.
- A detailed research budget, including an explanation of how the requested IFRA funding will be used.
- Details of any other funding requested or received for the project.
- A detailed research project description of no more than four pages, excluding the bibliography and budget.
- A detailed work plan containing dates, itinerary and research objectives.
- Information about institutional partnerships.
- The project’s proposed valorisation activities.
- A bibliography.
Applicants are expected to use the specified budget and research proposal templates when preparing their submissions.
How to apply for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027
Interested researchers should prepare their cover letter, CV, research proposal and budget before submitting their application.
The research proposal should clearly explain the scientific purpose of the project, planned activities, research location, timeline, institutional partnerships and how the findings will be shared.
Applicants should also make sure their proposed research fits at least one of IFRA-Nigeria’s four research axes before submitting the application.
The completed documents should then be combined into a single PDF and submitted through the designated application channel before October 30, 2026.
Why the grant could matter to postgraduate researchers
For postgraduate researchers, the cost of fieldwork, travel and archival research can become a major barrier to completing a project.
The IFRA grant provides targeted support for these activities rather than requiring applicants to seek full funding for an entire degree programme.
The €1,000 maximum may be particularly useful for researchers who already have institutional or personal funding but need additional support to complete a specific research phase.
The programme also places emphasis on how research findings will be shared, meaning applicants are expected to think beyond simply completing their research and consider publications, presentations and other forms of academic or public dissemination.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027?
The grant is aimed at second-year Master’s students, doctoral students, post-doctoral researchers and other researchers whose projects fall within the humanities and social sciences and meet IFRA-Nigeria’s research priorities.
How much is the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant?
The grant offers a maximum of €1,000 per research project. The actual amount awarded depends on the nature and budget of the proposed project.
Is the IFRA grant fully funded?
No. The IFRA Nigeria Research Grant is a research grant rather than a full scholarship covering an entire degree programme. It provides funding of up to €1,000 for eligible research activities.
Can Master’s students apply for the IFRA grant?
Yes. The programme specifically identifies second-year Master’s students among those who can benefit from the research grant.
Can PhD students apply for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant?
Yes. Doctoral students are among the categories targeted by the 2027 research grant programme.
What subjects are eligible for the IFRA research grant?
Eligible projects must fall within the humanities and social sciences and align with at least one of IFRA-Nigeria’s research axes: beliefs, bodies and health; citizenship, gender and mobilisation; heritage dynamics and environment; or digital humanities.
Is IELTS required for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant?
The programme information does not list IELTS as an application requirement.
What documents are required for the IFRA grant?
Applicants need a cover letter, CV, research budget and detailed research proposal. The proposal should include the scientific project, work plan, objectives, itinerary, institutional partnerships, valorisation plans and bibliography.
When is the deadline for the IFRA Nigeria Research Grant 2027?
The application deadline is October 30, 2026.
When will applicants hear back?
The programme states that responses will be sent to applicants by email by December 2026 at the latest.
When will the funded research take place?
The 2027 research grants are intended to support projects carried out between January and October 2027.