The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has invited qualified Nigerians to apply for the 2026 edition of the Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Ph.D. Research Grant, sponsored by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).

The research grant is designed to support doctoral research in natural sciences, social sciences, environmental law and related disciplines, with a focus on sustainable natural resource management in Nigeria.

The award seeks to recognise and reward scholarly work that contributes to habitat restoration, natural resource management, climate resilience and biodiversity conservation for the benefit of nature and humanity.

The theme for the 2026 edition is: “Restoring Ecosystems and Strengthening Climate Resilience for Sustainable Development in Nigeria.”

NCF is a foremost, membership-based environmental Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) focused on nature conservation, natural and environmental resource management and sustainable development in Nigeria.

The foundation was established by the late Chief S.L. Edu in 1980 and became a registered charitable trust in 1982 under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Act of 1961, which was later replaced by the Company and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

NCF is the Bird Life Partner in Nigeria, an Associate of the WorldWide Fund for Nature (WWF), and a member of the World Conservation Union – the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It is also a partner to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), Wetlands International, and Fauna & Flora International (FFI).

The organisation’s vision is “A leader in creating sustainable societies where people and nature thrive.”

Through its mission, NCF protects and restores natural resources and tackles emerging environmental threats in partnership with communities and other stakeholders for the benefit of present and future generations.

Its work includes conserving Nigeria’s biodiversity across species, ecosystems and genetic biodiversity; promoting the sustainable use of natural resources for present and future generations; and implementing field interventions and advocacy programmes that encourage best practices in climate change adaptation and mitigation, minimise pollution and reduce wasteful use of renewable resources.

For the 2026 grant, candidates will be assessed based on, among other factors, the quality of their research proposals and their eligibility under the stated requirements.

Applicants must be Nigerian citizens and must hold an M.Sc degree or its equivalent in Natural Sciences, Social Sciences or Law, specifically Environmental Law/Protection, with relevance to natural and environmental resource management.

Candidates must also have secured admission into a Nigerian university for a Ph.D degree in any of the fields specified above.

Their research proposals must align with the 2026 theme and be tailored towards achieving NCF’s vision and mission statements.

A progress report on letterhead from the applicant’s project supervisor or supervisors is also required. The report must state the progress made on the research, the supervisor’s role in the initial review and the relevance of the work to the objectives of the grant.

NCF stressed that a reference letter is not equivalent to a progress report from the project supervisor. While the progress report can only be written by the supervisor, a reference letter may be written by another person.

Applicants must also submit a 200-word justification aligned with the theme and relevant to biodiversity conservation as well as natural and environmental resource management issues.

The application must include a 3,000-word project proposal containing the title, introduction or statement of the problem, objectives, methodology and expected outputs, among other components.

Other required documents are a curriculum vitae of not more than two pages detailing research and work experience, and a scanned copy of the applicant’s admission letter.

Method of Application

Applicants should complete the grant application form online through the NCF website.

Apply for the 2026 Chief S.L. Edu Memorial Ph.D. Research Grant

Deadline for Application

December 9, 2025.

NCF stated that paper applications will not be considered and applicants must not submit more than one proposal for consideration.

All applications received will be acknowledged, while only successful candidates or applicants will be contacted by the Foundation.

Source: ncfnigeria