With the support of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), UNESCO-TWAS introduces the Seed Grant for New African Principal Investigators (SG-NAPI). This programme is designed to strengthen the capacity of African countries lagging in science and technology by supporting early-career researchers who have obtained their PhD abroad and have recently returned or are about to return to academic positions in their home countries.
About the Grant
SG-NAPI provides financial support to promising high-level research projects across various scientific fields, including Agriculture, Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences, Engineering, Information Computer Technology, Mathematics, Medical Sciences, and Physics. Grants are awarded to Principal Investigators (PIs) working in African countries identified by TWAS as lagging in science and technology.
Funding Details:
- Maximum Grant Amount: USD 67,700
- Grant Duration: Typically 24 months
- Eligible Expenses: Scientific equipment, consumables, partial fieldwork costs, maintenance of equipment, and specialized literature. Salaries, travel unrelated to conferences/mobility components, fuel, consultancy fees, laptops, tablets, drones, or laboratory animals are not supported.
In addition to research funding, awarded PIs can apply for:
- MSc student support
- International conference grants
- Industrial link grants
- Mobility grants
- Open access publication grants
- Scientist-after-child grants (to support female scientists returning after maternity leave)
Full details of each component are available in the programme guidelines.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Be a national of an eligible African country identified as lagging in science and technology.
- Hold a PhD obtained within the last five years from a country other than their home country.
- Be 40 years old or younger at the time of application.
- Have returned to their home country within the last 36 months or be planning to return before the end of 2024.
- Hold or be in the process of accepting an academic or research position in their home country.
- Must not currently hold an active research grant with TWAS or the OWSD Early Career Women Scientists (ECWS) Fellowship.
- Submit a strong research proposal (guidance available via AuthorAID).
Applications from women scientists and researchers from Least Developed Countries are strongly encouraged.
Important Note: Applicants can only apply for one programme per year from the TWAS and OWSD portfolio and are not eligible to participate in other TWAS Visiting Scientist or Visiting Professor programmes in the same year.
Agreement Terms
If selected, a trilateral agreement will be established between TWAS, the Principal Investigator, and the home institution. The institution commits to administering the grant, providing laboratory space, covering salaries, and ensuring the necessary facilities for the project. All equipment, consumables, and literature purchased through the grant will remain the property of the institution upon project completion.
Grant funds are managed by TWAS, which will process purchases based on approved budgets and proforma invoices submitted by the PI. The agreement also outlines the process for activating other grant benefits, such as student support and mobility grants. A final report is required within one year of the last purchase.
How to Apply
- Review the programme guidelines thoroughly.
- Submit your application online via the “Apply Now” link.
- Each researcher may submit only one application at a time and may not apply for multiple TWAS programmes within the same year.
For any queries, please contact: sgnapi@twas.org
Application Deadline
The deadline for applications is 27 March 2025. Applicants are encouraged to submit early to allow for timely processing.
Notification
The SG-NAPI Grants Committee will review applications by the end of the year. Successful applicants will be notified shortly after the committee meeting. Please note that current award holders of any TWAS programme are not eligible to apply until their ongoing projects are completed.
More Information
To learn more, please visit here.