Call for Applications

Nigeria Circular Economy Week Young Scholars Prize

Applications open: January 10 – January 27, 2026

About the Prize

The Nigeria Circular Economy Week Young Scholars Prize supports early-career researchers affiliated with Nigerian knowledge institutions to develop high-quality, applied research that informs business practice and public policy.

The prize recognises creativity and rigour in research that can help enable the growth of circular business models in Nigeria.

The prize is administered by the Circular Business Platform and supported by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. An interdisciplinary sub-committee of experts from industry, research, and policy communities oversees the research agenda and selection process.

Who Should Apply?

You are eligible to apply if you:

Are 35 years old or younger
Are currently enrolled in a Masters or PhD programme, or graduated within the last two years
Are affiliated with a Nigerian research institution (registered student, teaching or research fellow)
Have the support of a supervisor to complete the research
Are available to participate in the in-person research bootcamp in Lagos (February 16th –19th, 2026)

Research Themes

Applicants should submit proposals under one of the following theme:

Theme A: Improving data collection and analysis on material disposal and recycling rates

Proposals in this thematic area can explore cost-effective ways to build a more reliable, shared evidence base on waste collection and recycling practices in Lagos, addressing questions such as: what practical, low-cost data collection, monitoring, and coordination approaches can generate an accurate picture of waste flows and recycling activities that is trusted and usable by all participants across the sector?

Theme B: Evaluating technologies for product design, production efficiency and recycling in the textiles sector

There is growing interest in supporting the sustainability of Nigeria’s fashion industry. The fashion sector in Nigeria is unique in many ways. Importantly, it is dominated by small and medium enterprises (SMEs), who are often vertically integrated and not large designers or manufacturers who specialize. This means that gathering information about the approaches used by Nigerian’s fashion business, and the companies that extend or manage textiles at the end of life, is more challenging.

In this thematic area, submissions are encouraged to identify and test innovative yet practical mechanisms for gathering and benchmarking data on emerging technologies, addressing questions such as: how can comparable, decision-relevant evidence be generated to support firms in making confident and well-timed investments in new technologies?

Theme C: Application of fly ash to improve soil fertility

Fly ash, a by-product of coal based and other industrial processes, presents significant opportunities for waste valorisation within a circular economy. While its use in construction is well established, its potential application in agriculture, particularly as a soil amendment or fertiliser input, remains underexplored. For rice farmers, fly ash could offer a cost effective alternative to conventional inputs, with possible benefits for soil structure, nutrient availability, and crop productivity. At the same time, uncertainties remain around effectiveness, environmental safety, and long term impacts on soil and water systems.

Proposals exploring this thematic category are invited to assess whether and under what conditions fly ash can deliver tangible, sustainable benefits for rice cultivation.

Theme D: Application of waste-to-energy technologies to reduce waste in landfills and costs of electricity

Proposals in this theme should address the question: What criteria should project developers be thinking about when developing waste-to-energy solutions and what are the most promising avenues to develop waste-to-energy solutions that can serve industry and communities at a large-scale based on those criteria?

Theme E: Improving policy decision-making through evidence.

Applications in this area should engage the questions: How can an evidence-based approach support implementation of one of these policies. What specific components of the policy can be centred on evidence-based decision-making and how should this be designed in partnership with research institutions?

What Selected Scholars Receive

Selected applicants will receive:

How to Apply

To apply, please complete the online application form and upload your research proposal (maximum 3,000 words).

Your proposal should include:

Application period: January 10 – January 27, 2026

Selection Criteria

Proposals will be assessed based on:

Originality - the proposal is novel/interesting
Approach and methodology
Relevance and impact - the proposal has an applied relevance
Dissemination plan - academic outputs and public engagement plan
Institutional Support - the applicant has sufficient support from the university and from the Secretariat to complete the research