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The Africa Initiative for Governance (AIG) has begun accepting applications for its 2017 scholarship programme, which offers successful candidates the opportunity to study for a Master of Public Policy (MPP), an intensive one-year graduate degree at the Oxford University’s Blavatnik School of Government.

According to a statement released today, AIG said high-calibre individuals trained at the Blavatnik School of Government will drive best practice standards of governance across Africa, ensuring sustainable economic growth and social justice. From 2017, AIG said it will fund five scholarships each year as part of its five-year partnership with the Blavatnik School of Government.

“The AIG Scholarship and Fellowship initiatives are scalable interventions aimed at tackling Africa's intractable challenge of poor public sector leadership,” said Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, AIG’s Founder and Chairman, who is also a former Managing Director of Access Bank Plc. “I am confident that our partnership with Oxford University's prestigious Blavatnik School will become fertile ground for growing future statesmen and women who will change the African continent for good. I encourage anyone who believes that they fit the profile for these scholarships and fellowships to apply.”

The initial focus of the AIG Scholarship will be to select candidates from Nigeria and Ghana, who will study for the MPP alongside classmates from across the globe. The scholarships will be available to candidates who can demonstrate academic excellence, proven leadership and commitment to public service. They must also intend to return to work in the public sector in Africa after completing their studies.

Along with the scholarship scheme will be an academic fellowship scheme – the AIG Visiting Fellowship, which will also be available from 2017. The fellowship is open to candidates who can demonstrate an outstanding contribution to public policy that has yielded meaningful impact on the public good, and a commitment to public service in their country, region and globally. The fellowship is open to senior officials or practitioners working in or with government and who are resident in West Africa.

“We are deeply grateful to the Africa Initiative for Governance for partnering with us,” said Professor Ngaire Woods, Dean of the Blavatnik School of Government. “The shared programme will enable excellent West African scholars, from all backgrounds, to study for an MPP and will also bring senior practitioners from the region to the School as AIG Visiting Fellows – providing opportunities to help drive transformational public sector leadership across the African continent.”

A team of eminent personalities selected from across West Africa will act as the selection panel for the award of scholarships and fellowships, as well as mentors to successful applicants. The panel includes: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Nigerian President; Dr. Enase Okonedo, Dean of the Lagos Business School; Alhaji Abubakar B. Mahmoud (SAN), Managing Partner, Dikko and Mahmoud; Ernest Chukwudi Ebi, former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Segun Adeniyi, Chairman of the Editorial Board of Thisday Newspapers; Yemisi Ayeni, Chairman of NASCON Industries Plc; and Ken Ofori-Atta, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Databank, Ghana.