Agora Policy Writing Fellowship 2025
- Omran Aburayya
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
If you are an emerging writer, researcher or policy enthusiast looking to sharpen your skills and make a meaningful contribution to governance and development discussions, then the call for applications for the Agora Policy Writing Fellowship 2025 is an excellent opportunity for you. Applications are now open — read on for the full breakdown of what the fellowship offers, who it’s for, what you’ll gain and how to apply.
🎓 Fellowship Summary
Location: Nigeria (non-residential programme)
Host institution: Agora Policy (think tank)
Programme type: Fellowship for early- to mid-career professionals or writers in public policy / research.
Target group: Early- to mid-career practitioners working in civil society, media organisations, think tanks or government in Nigeria.
Fields of focus: Policy research & writing, governance, evidence-based public policy, analysis, data-driven communication.
Value & coverage: The fellowship is non-residential over approximately 3 months. It includes workshops and writing supervision; successful fellows may receive research grants for individual writing projects.
Duration: Approximately three months.
Application deadline: 20 November 2025
📚 Programme Overview
The Agora Policy Writing Fellowship is a capacity-building initiative led by Agora Policy under its “Policy Support, Deepening and Engagement (PSDE)” project (supported by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation) that seeks to strengthen evidence-based, participatory policy-making in Nigeria.
Fellows will engage in intensive writing workshops, mentorship and supervised hands-on writing projects. The structure includes:
Training in how to analyse complex policy issues with clarity and depth.
Developing arguments that are supported by data, evidence and logic, and writing for diverse audiences (decision-makers, general public).
Supervision and feedback from policy practitioners, editors and researchers.
Culmination in an individual writing project: fellows will produce a policy essay/paper and might access research grants to complete it.
🎁 Programme Benefits
Fees covered: Being non-residential, the programme does not charge participants; training, workshops and supervision are included. Additional benefits include the potential research grant for the writing project.
✅ Eligibility criteria:
Minimum: first degree (any discipline)
Comfortable with data/numbers (i.e., should be able to work with data in research)
Demonstrable passion for research, writing and public policy.
Early to mid-career status: working in civil society, media, think tank, research, government.
Other benefits:
Mentorship and structured skill development in policy writing and communication.
Publishing opportunities: platform to publish policy essays/opinion pieces via Agora Policy’s network.
Professional exposure: connect with policy practitioners, editors and possibly decision-makers.
Network: Community of fellows and alumni engaged in evidence-based policy communication.
Portfolio growth: At the end of the fellowship you will have produced a high-quality policy writing piece and improved your analytical/writing capacity.
📝 Application Procedure
Application process:
Interested candidates submit an application via email to fellowship@agorapolicy.org.
Include in your submission:
Personal statement/motivation (often around 400 words) explaining your interest, motivation, and how you hope to contribute.
Resume/CV highlighting relevant experience in research, writing, policy, data analysis etc.
Two writing samples (policy-related) — published or unpublished — demonstrating your analytical and communication skills.
For employed applicants: a letter of endorsement from employer; for freelancers or independent applicants: a reference letter from a professional/academic mentor.
Application deadline: 20 November 2025
After selection, fellows will embark on the ~3-month programme with workshops, supervision and writing project.
👌🏻 Additional Notes & Tips
Because this is non-residential, it may suit applicants who are based in Nigeria and can engage remotely or semi-remotely with the programme.
The focus on data, numbers and evidence means that candidates with comfort in research, analysis, data interpretation (even basic) stand to benefit more.
The writing samples are crucial: choose ones that highlight your analytical thinking, ability to write clearly for policy audiences, and original arguments.
While the target is Nigerian practitioners, it may be worth checking if international applicants or regional applicants are eligible (but most materials indicate Nigeria-based).
Keep in mind the deadline and assemble documents early. A strong personal statement that clearly articulates your interest in policy writing, how you want to contribute to governance/discourse, and your willingness to engage with the supervision and community will strengthen your application.
Even if you are not working directly in policy, showing how your writing interest, ability to work with data, and commitment to communicating ideas clearly can align with the fellowship’s goals will help.
Network: If possible, connect with past fellows or read published pieces from the first cohort to understand what high-quality output looks like. According to the MacArthur Foundation’s note, the first cohort produced essays/policy papers that were published and used in policy discourse.
