IADS CALL FOR MA PROJECT GRANT

March 12, 2026 iads

Institute of African and Diaspora Studies

(Culture, Gender and Identity Research Cluster)

CALL FOR MASTERS IN ARTS (M.A) PROJECT GRANT

The Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos, is pleased to invite applications from qualified masters-level students in the field of African Studies for a research project grant. This grant supports original research into the development of herbal medicine for the prevention and management of diabetes. This is a unique opportunity to contribute to an ongoing herbal medicine production programme with a grant from Professor Rahamon Adisa Bello Trust Fund. The project is to record the indigenous processes of development, preparation, preservation, sale and effect of herbal medicine on selected cases.

About the Grant

Grant Amount: Two Hundred Thousand Naira (₦200,000)

Grant Period: April 2026 – September 2026

Application Deadline: 25th March, 2026

Coverage: The grant covers all approved costs related to fieldwork and the writing of the project.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following criteria:

Currently enrolled as a masters (M.A) student of African Studies in any University in Nigeria.
Able to demonstrate a clear and credible research design linked to the project objective.
Available to carry out full-time research activities in Lagos within the grant period of April to September 2026.
Co-author a paper from the findings in a reputable journal.

Additional Benefit

The selected awardee will become an active member of an ongoing herbal medicine production initiative, gaining hands-on experience in the development, formulation and documentation of plant-based therapeutic products.

Application Requirements

Interested applicants should submit the following documents:

A completed application letter addressed to the Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Akinmayowa Akin-Otiko, Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos.
A research proposal of not more than 1,000 words, outlining the research problem, objectives, methodology, fieldwork plan, and expected outcomes.
A letter of support from the applicant’s academic supervisor.
Proof of current enrollment as a masters student

Submission and Deadline

All application materials should be submitted as a single PDF document, titled: M.A PROJECT GRANT 2026 to the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies, University of Lagos via iads@unilag.edu.ng no later than: 25th March 2026.

The accepted candidate will be contacted by 7th April, 2026.