The Afreximbank–Edordu Research Competition 2026

The Afreximbank–Edordu Research Competition 2026 supports postgraduate students in Africa and eligible Caribbean states to produce original research on trade, finance, integration, and sustainable development.

What it offers

• USD 20,000 for the First Prize, USD 15,000 for the Second Prize, and USD 10,000 for the Third Prize.
• Winners’ research is translated into policy briefs and presented to Afreximbank leadership at a designated forum.

Who can apply

• Postgraduate students (Master’s or PhD) currently enrolled at an accredited tertiary institution in Africa or an eligible CARICOM state.
• Applicants must hold nationality of an African country or an eligible CARICOM state.
• Eligible CARICOM states include 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.

What you'll do

• Produce original, unpublished research papers of 3,000 to 5,000 words addressing one of the announced themes.
• Submit papers in any African Union official language (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, or Kiswahili); translations into English are provided for jury evaluation.
• Top three winners are invited to develop a policy brief and present findings at an Afreximbank event.

How to apply

• Submit a complete research paper as a PDF or Word document through the official competition portal.
• Papers must follow a recognized academic citation style (APA, Chicago, or Harvard).
• Ensure the paper is original, unpublished, and not under consideration elsewhere at the time of submission.

Good to know

• The competition honors the intellectual legacy of Mr. Christopher Edordu, Pioneer President of Afreximbank.
• Papers are anonymized and evaluated for originality, methodological rigor, clarity, contribution to development, and relevance to Afreximbank’s operations.