Call for Application: Africa’s Data Future Fellowship 2025

The 2025 Africa’s Data Future Fellowship is a dynamic 3-month remote capacity-building programme for emerging leaders in the African data governance landscape. Organised by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), the fellowship equips early-career professionals and changemakers with the knowledge, skills, and mentorship to influence data governance and digital transformation across Africa.
For the 2025 cohort, 5 fellows will be selected from each sub-region across the continent. At the end of the fellowship, each fellow will be required to develop a policy brief on one of the fellowship themes and present their findings at a dedicated workshop.
This is a unique opportunity to turn expertise into meaningful impact. Join us in shaping Africa’s data future. Apply now and become part of this transformative programme!

• Table of Content
• About Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE)
• CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship
• Aim and Benefits of CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship
• Requirements for CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship Qualification
• Interview date, Process and Venue for CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship
• Documents Required for Application
• Application Deadline
• How to Apply

About Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE)

The Centre for the Study of African Economies, usually known as CSAE, is an economic research centre in the Social Sciences Division at the University of Oxford, with researchers in the Department of Economics, the Blavatnik School of Government, and the Oxford Department for International Development. It aims to make a significant contribution to the transformation of African economic performance by: Publishing significant theoretical and empirical findings; Establishing itself as a focus of collaboration between researchers and policymakers; Engaging wit... continue reading

CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship

Application Deadline	30 Jul 2025
Type	Fellowship
Sponsor	Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE)
Gender	Men and Women

Aim and Benefits of CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship

• A stipend of a total of $1,500 upon successful completion of the fellowship
• Bi-weekly virtual masterclasses and expert sessions with sector leaders
• Fellows’ work featured on CSEA’s platforms
• Pan-African professional network

Requirements for CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship Qualification

• The 2025 Africa’s Data Future Fellowship is open to:
• A postgraduate degree and at least one year of professional experience in social sciences, law, technology, data policy, or related fields
• Applicants from any sub-region of Africa (North, West, East, Central, Southern) 
• Applicants with demonstrated interest and experience in data governance, digital policy, and/or technology
• Applicants should be able to commit 2 hours per week for the duration of the fellowship.
• Access to a reliable internet connection and a functional computer is required for participation.

Interview date, Process and Venue for CSEA Africa’s Data Future Fellowship

Fellowship Structure
1. The 2025 Africa’s Data Future Fellowship will focus on the following thematic areas:

• Data Sharing
• Ethical Data Stewardship
• Digital Public Infrastructure
• Interoperability Standards & APIs
• AI Governance & Responsible Innovation
• Cross-Border Data Flows

2. Fellowship duration: 3 months (Starting in mid-August)
3. Geographic Representation: 1 fellow per African sub-region (North, West, East, Central, and Southern). Francophone candidates with intermediate English proficiency are also encouraged to apply. 
4. Mode of delivery: Virtual
5.Commitment: Bi-weekly virtual expert brainstorming sessions
6.Language: English and French

Documents Required for Application

• Applicants are expected to submit:
• A completed application form
• A 2-page CV 
• Statement of interest (200 words max)
• Problem statement on a data governance challenge in your sub-region related to any of the thematic areas highlighted above (300 words max)
• A writing sample (e.g., policy brief or research paper)

Application Deadline

July 30, 2025

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE) on docs.google.com to apply

The fellowship is granted through a competitive process based on the application submitted by qualified candidates. All applications should be sent via the online application system and submitted in English.

For enquiries, contact: [email protected].

For more details, visit Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA) Fellowship webpage