If you want to help the world understand Nigeria’s history in engaging and meaningful ways, apply for the Archivi.ng Fellowship. It is a six month program looking to preserve Nigerian history by digitizing and studying archival materials – currently newspapers and magazines – to make them accessible for everyone. 

Applications close October 10th, 11:59 pm WAT, so be sure to act fast!

The idea was born last year when Archivi.ng first began to look through Nigerian newspapers in an attempt to form an archive. Not only was it clear that Nigeria’s history needed to be digitized and documented, but also sorted and understood. As a result, they were inspired to launch The Archivist fellowship. 

During the 6-month duration of the fellowship, successful candidates will received ₦500,000 monthly stipend to cover both logistics and production of the project, alongside mentorships, publication, collaborative learning, and full reign over their archives–digital and physical. This call is not just limited to historians. Ethnographers, journalists, artists, technologists, researchers, writers, filmmakers, content creators, and anyone else who is interested in helping are encouraged to apply. 

The guidelines are very broad, and they call for any Nigerian resident who is interested to apply, though the loose guidelines are:

  • The proposed project must align with their mission to make history accessible, focusing on discovering, understanding and promoting Nigerian historical perspectives. 
  • Make significant use of archival materials, either through analysis or re-interpretation
  • Contribute to the great body of knowledge that enhances the world’s understanding of Nigeria in new and interesting ways.
  • Do not have affiliations with any government-owned entities or political parties. 

The application window closes soon, on October 10th. There will be a two-stage application review with a long and short list before the final decision is made. If you want guidance, they say a winning proposal addresses

A specific slice of Nigerian history you want to explore, explain how you plan to incorporate archival materials (such as old newspapers, documents, photographs, etc.), outline potential impact, and provide a detailed execution timeline for the six-month fellowship period.”

Best of luck to all!

Apply here