The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is inviting scholars and policy experts to apply for its Knowledge Acceleration Programme (KAP), a newly launched initiative aimed at transforming Nigeria into a research-driven economy. The call opens 15 July 2025, with selected researchers expected to attend three separate workshops in Abuja throughout early August.
The initiative forms part of the Bank’s strategy to become a knowledge powerhouse in national policymaking. In a circular signed by Aderinola Shonekan, Director of the CBN Research Department, the Bank called on applicants to submit competitive proposals addressing themes around wealth creation, human capital development, and international market positioning.
“Interested researchers are encouraged to submit proposals on multidisciplinary topics that contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s growth trajectory,” the circular noted.
According to the Bank, the end goal is to polish selected submissions into publishable working papers with real policy impact.
Three Key Clusters to Guide Proposal Focus
Applicants are required to centre their proposals on one of three broad clusters—Development, International Finance, or Regulation and Competition. These span diverse issues including employment generation, fintech disruption, exchange rate dynamics, and illicit financial flows.
The CBN stressed that priority will be given to projects that expose and analyse systemic risks posed by fast-changing areas like non-bank financial intermediaries, digital assets, and risk-based capital regulation. The Bank hopes that such insights will drive new policy tools and forecasting models in tune with Nigeria’s complex macro-financial ecosystem.
Workshop participants will present their research frameworks to peers and expert reviewers in highly interactive sessions, scheduled for 4–5, 7–8, and 11–12 August 2025. These gatherings are designed to deepen collaborative thinking and refine analytical approaches through direct feedback loops.
From Ideas to Impact
All proposal submissions must be concise—not more than two pages—and formatted according to the guidelines: Georgia font, 11pt, single spacing. Applicants should focus sharply on the “What” and “Why” of their proposal, though additional visual aids like tables and graphs are allowed beyond the page limit.
Submissions must be made via the official portal here between 15 July and 22 July 2025. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified of workshop details by 30 July 2025.
“Thematic areas selected will help the Bank develop policy tools and forecasting models responsive to Nigeria’s evolving macro-financial landscape,” Shonekan added.
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