About this opportunity
The African Economic Research Consortium invites proposals for commissioned studies under its Industrial Policy and Growth in Africa Project, a research programme asking how industrial policy can lift productivity, investment and structural transformation across the continent. The call is aimed squarely at early-career researchers and the funding printed in the call block is up to USD 10,000 per study.
The consortium frames the problem plainly. Africa's growth over the past two decades has not delivered the structural transformation many expected, with labour moving out of agriculture into low-productivity, largely informal services rather than manufacturing or high value services, firm level data showing a small productive core beside a long tail of stagnant enterprises, and pervasive misallocation of capital and inputs.
Manufacturing shares have fallen in some countries while several low income economies have seen a revival, and foreign direct investment has concentrated in resource extraction, services and utilities. Proposals are commissioned under seven themes printed in the call, each listing priority questions the consortium considers answerable by early-career researchers within 18 months using existing data.
A proposal may address a listed question directly, a well defined part of one, or a closely related question inside the theme, provided the link to the theme is made explicit. Selected studies receive grants of up to US$10,000, alongside mentorship and methodological support to strengthen the research for publication in internationally refereed journals, building the research capacity of early-career economists while the findings feed AERC's policy engagement work.
The
Eligibility
bar is printed as a PhD awarded in 2016 or later, and proposals are accepted in English or French. The submission
Application timeline
on the AERC page is 21 November 2026, which the organisation's own post records as midnight East Africa Time.
What you receive
- Funding of up to USD 10,000 per commissioned study
- Mentorship and methodological support to strengthen the research for publication in internationally refereed journals
- A route into AERC research and policy engagement work across the continent
Who can apply
- Applicants must be early-career researchers with a PhD awarded in 2016 or later
- Proposals may be written in English or French
- Proposals must address one of the seven commissioned themes, either a listed priority question, a well-defined part of one, or a closely related question within the theme with the link made explicit
- Studies are expected to be answerable within 18 months using existing data
How to apply
- Read the seven research themes and the priority questions printed in the call
- Prepare a proposal that links clearly to one theme and answers a question within 18 months using existing data
- Submit the proposal through the AERC opportunities page by 21 November 2026, midnight East Africa Time
Sources and verification
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Questions applicants ask
How much does an AERC commissioned study pay?
The call prints up to USD 10,000 per study, and the organisation's post repeats grants of up to US$10,000 with mentorship and methodological support.
Which researchers are eligible?
The eligibility line reads PhD awarded in 2016 or later, with proposals accepted in English or French.
Important disclaimer
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