The World Bank has opened applications for its 2027 Africa Fellowship Programme, offering eligible Nigerian PhD candidates and recent doctoral graduates an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in global development research and policymaking.
The application window, which opened on July 15, will close on August 25, 2026, with successful candidates expected to begin a six-month fellowship in January 2027.
According to the World Bank, the fellowship is designed to build the capacity of the next generation of African development professionals by exposing them to research, economic policy, technical assistance and lending operations.
Selected fellows will be based either at the World Bank Group headquarters in Washington, D.C., or at one of its country offices, where they will contribute to projects aimed at reducing poverty and promoting shared prosperity across developing countries.
The programme is open to nationals of Sub-Saharan African countries, including Nigeria, who are either in the final year of their PhD studies or have completed their doctorate within the last three years. Applicants must also be 32 years old or younger as of January 1, 2027, possess excellent written and spoken English, and demonstrate strong quantitative and analytical skills.
The World Bank said the fellowship has, over the years, produced a strong pipeline of African professionals who have gone on to careers in international development institutions, governments, think tanks and academia.
The selection process will take place in two stages. In the first phase, candidates will be shortlisted based on their academic background and area of specialisation. Shortlisted applicants will then be considered by various World Bank units, which will make the final selection of fellows. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted during the recruitment process.
Successful applicants will be engaged as World Bank consultants for the six-month programme beginning in January 2027. During the fellowship, they will participate in knowledge generation, policy design, institutional development and operational assignments across sectors relevant to Africa’s development agenda.
The World Bank encouraged qualified women to apply, describing the initiative as part of its broader commitment to strengthening African expertise in development research and policymaking.
Interested Nigerian applicants can submit their applications through the World Bank Group Africa Fellowship portal before the August 25 deadline.
