The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will begin accepting proposals on Tuesday, July 15, for its 2025 Knowledge Acceleration Programme (KAP) Thematic Workshops, which are scheduled to hold in Abuja across three sessions: August 4–5, 7–8, and 11–12. The initiative forms part of the Bank’s broader push to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a thought leader in economic policy through high-level multidisciplinary research.
In a circular signed by the Director of the CBN Research Department, the apex bank invited researchers across academia, policy institutions, and the private sector to submit competitive proposals on pressing national priorities. These include wealth creation, human development, and improving Nigeria’s international economic competitiveness.
The workshops are designed to support researchers in refining their concepts through peer exchange and expert mentorship. The ultimate goal is to turn selected proposals into robust working papers suitable for academic publication and policy implementation.
Three Thematic Clusters
Applicants must choose from one of three research clusters:
Development Cluster
Focus areas include inclusive economic growth, income distribution, and employment generation—critical components of long-term national resilience.
International Finance Cluster
Researchers may explore issues such as capital flows (FDI and portfolio), domestic resource mobilization, exchange rate management, asset pricing, and balance of payments dynamics.
Regulation and Competition Cluster
Topics include monetary policy innovation, behavioral finance, the rise of fintech, illicit financial flows, digital payments infrastructure, systemic risk, and market concentration.
Proposals must be concise, limited to two pages—and structured around the “What” and “Why” of the proposed research. Formatting requirements specify Georgia font, 11-point size, single spacing, with tables, charts, references, and endnotes excluded from the page limit. Applicants must indicate sources of all data and cite using any standard style, such as MLA. Endnotes are preferred over footnotes.
Submissions open on July 15 and close at midnight on July 22, 2025. Applications must be submitted via the official portal: [https://kapsubmissions.cbn.gov.ng]. Notification of successful entries and full workshop details will be communicated by July 30.
The CBN is particularly interested in proposals that explore systemic financial risks from non-bank institutions, as well as issues related to reserve stability, off-balance sheet exposures, risk-based capital regulation, and audit innovations in complex environments.
By facilitating evidence-driven dialogue through KAP, the Bank aims to develop more responsive policy tools and forecasting models aligned with Nigeria’s changing macroeconomic realities.
The programme is also expected to further establish the CBN as a knowledge-driven institution committed to shaping sound economic reforms through collaborative research and stakeholder engagement
