Afreximbank Edordu Research Competition (Prize up to$20,000)

Deadline: 30th September 2026, 11:55 pm (GMT+3)

The Afreximbank–Edordu Research Competition invites postgraduate students across Africa and in participating Caribbean states to produce rigorous, original research on the issues that define the continent’s economic trajectory: trade, finance, regional integration, and sustainable development.

The competition honours the intellectual legacy of Mr Christopher Edordu, Pioneer President of Afreximbank, whose vision shaped the institution’s foundational commitment to African economic sovereignty. It is designed not only to recognise academic excellence, but to translate scholarship into action. Winning research does not sit on a shelf — the top three papers are distilled into implementable policy briefs, presented to Afreximbank leadership, and showcased at the Bank’s major events.

Benefits

• Continental Recognition — Join the ranks of Africa’s most promising young scholars and gain visibility across the continent and diaspora.
• Substantial Prizes — 1st Prize -$20,000, 2nd Prize -$15,000, 3rd Prize -$10,000. 50% percent of the Prize will go towards books and tuition.
• Policy Impact — Translate your research into implementable policy briefs and present your findings directly to Afreximbank leadership.
• A Public Platform — Present your work at a designated Afreximbank event and amplify your contribution to Africa’s trade and development discourse.

Eligibility

The competition is open to postgraduate students (Master’s or PhD) who are currently enrolled at an accredited tertiary institution on the African continent or in an eligible CARICOM state, and who hold nationality of an African country or an eligible CARICOM state.

Eligible CARICOM states are: Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname.

Submission Requirements

• Submissions must be original, unpublished research papers not under consideration for publication elsewhere at the time of submission.
• Papers must address one of the themes announced by the competition for the relevant cycle.
• Submissions may be written in any African Union official language: Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or Kiswahili, and will be translated into English for jury evaluation.
• Papers must be between 3,000 and 5,000 words, excluding references, tables, and figures.
• Papers must follow a recognised academic citation style (APA, Chicago, or Harvard) and be submitted as a PDF or Word document through the official competition portal.

How the Competition Works

The competition runs in two stages:

Stage 1 — Submission and Jury Review. Applicants submit a complete research paper of 3,000–5,000 words through the official portal. Papers are screened for eligibility, formatting, and plagiarism, then anonymised and scored by the jury against a rubric covering originality, methodological rigour, clarity, contribution to development, and relevance to Afreximbank’s operations.

Stage 2 — Policy Brief and Presentation. The authors of the three winning papers are invited to extract an implementable policy brief from their research and present their findings at a forum designated by the Bank. Winners are formally approved by Afreximbank’s Internal Working Group before public announcement.

For more information and application.