AERC’s African Ph.D. Fellowship Program 2024: Apply Now!

About the AERC’s African Ph.D. Fellowship Program 2024

The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) is a non-profit organisation established in 1988. Its mission is to promote economic policy research and training in Africa, with the goal of advancing sustainable development in sub-Saharan Africa. A key aspect of AERC’s mandate is to support the capacity building of local professional economists in Francophone and Anglophone African countries. The consortium provides assistance in the form of policy research and graduate training.

To this end, AERC has announced the availability of Ph.D. scholarships for the 2024–2025 academic session. The scholarship is open to applicants from Francophone and Anglophone sub-Saharan African countries who have been admitted to any of the AERC Collaborative PhD Programme (CPP) in Economics degree-awarding universities. The scholarship is aimed at promoting research and collaboration among African economists and contributing to the development of the continent.

University of Cape Town, South Africa
University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin
University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

University of Benin, Nigeria
Félix Houphouet-Boigny University, Côte d’Ivoire
University Cheikh Anta Diop in Dakar, Senegal

University of Ibadan, Nigeria
University of Nairobi, Kenya
University of Yaoundé II, Cameroon

University of Pretoria
University of Witwatersrand, South Africa

The 2024 PhD Fellowship program, which equips the next generation of African economists to steer the continent towards a better future, stands as a beacon of hope as AERC continues its unwavering commitment to economic research and capacity building.

Benefits of the AERC’s African Ph.D. Fellowship Program 2024

The African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) has launched a fellowship program aimed at nurturing and developing the next generation of economists who will make significant contributions to policy-making, economic development, and research in their home countries and across the African continent. This initiative is critical for ensuring the long-term sustainability and resilience of Africa’s economic systems and policy frameworks.

The AERC Collaborative PhD Program (CPP) is a key component of the fellowship program. The program seeks to strengthen the continent’s economic research capacity by providing scholarships to students who have been admitted to the CPP at various universities. The CPP is a partnership between AERC and several universities across Africa. It provides training and mentorship to students, equipping them with the knowledge and skills necessary to conduct high-quality research on economic issues affecting the continent.

The fellowship program is open to students from all African countries who have been admitted to the CPP. Applicants are selected based on their academic achievements, research potential, and commitment to contributing to Africa’s economic development. Successful applicants receive full scholarships that cover tuition fees, research costs, and living expenses for the duration of their studies.

By supporting students in the CPP, the AERC aims to address the shortage of highly skilled economists on the continent. The ultimate goal is to build a critical mass of African economists who can drive evidence-based policy-making, conduct cutting-edge research, and contribute to the sustainable development of the continent.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, an applicant must:

Have applied and been admitted to any one of the listed CPP universities;

Have attained at least a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) or equivalent in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or related field from an accredited university;
Have a Master’s degree (with coursework and thesis component) in Economics, Agricultural Economics, or related fields from a recognised University. The coursework should have covered microeconomics, macroeconomics, quantitative methods, and econometrics.
Possession of at least 1 relevant publication in a refereed journal will be an added advantage;

Evidence of engagement in economic management, research, and/or training in the public sector will be an added advantage; and
Females and applicants from post-conflict and fragile states are encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

Interested applicants must submit their applications for admission directly to the respective universities (application procedure can be obtained from the respective university’s website).