IFRA-Nigeria

Call for Papers

The Department of History, University of Ibadan in collaboration with IFRA-Nigeria and the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan invites scholars, researchers and practitioners to submit papers for an upcoming international conference:

Theme: Urban Myths and Experiences in Africa
Venue: University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria
Date: 5 - 6 October 2026
Submission Deadline: 15 July 2026

This conference on African urban studies seeks precisely to examine the extent to which urban myths have shaped spaces, practices and ways of life across African cities. Contributions are welcome from diverse disciplines.

See images for full call and submission guidelines.

Join us for a thought-provoking event at the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan!

The National Museum of Unity, Ibadan, in collaboration with IFRA-Nigeria are excited to announce our upcoming event, (Re)Imagining Heritage, (Re)Using the Museum: Research and Artistic Creation, which will showcase several creative projects and a discussion between the artists and researchers involved.

🗓 May 20, 2026
🕘 1 PM
📍 National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan

What to Expect:
- Ayodele Olofintuade and Kehinde Afoweso: Documentary, The Museum as a performance piece
- Abibat Ibrahim and Sorple Sheed: Animation, Animating Artifacts
- Mofeyiseke Bolaji and Neec Nonso, Exhibition and Augmented Reality: The city beneath
- The Museum of Unity, Play: Voices of the Sacred
- A roundtable discussion between the creators of these projects and the director of IFRA, Dr Pauline Guinard.

This event is open to everyone - from children and students to adults interested in heritage, museum curation, research or artistic presentation. No registration is required!

We can't wait to see you there!

Event Recap: Guest Lecture, Exhibition & Workshop on the Heritage of Fashion and Textile Art of Nigerian People

On 6 May 2026, IFRA-Nigeria, in collaboration with the National Museum Of Unity Ibadan hosted an engaging week-long programme celebrating Nigeria’s rich fashion and textile heritage under the theme “Arts of Fashion and Textile Heritage”, as part of the FEF - Alternative Heritage Project.

The event brought together 124 participants, including students, researchers, artisan and cultural enthusiasts. Participants explored remarkable textile collections such as Sanyan, Alaari and Etu from the “Five Decades of Aso-Oke Collection” by Professor Felicia Adetowun Ogunsheye, alongside handcrafted works in embroidery, crocheting, knitting and Aso-Ofi textile art.

The guest lecture, “The Nigerian Dress as a Piece of Art,” delivered by Dr Oluwadara A. Fakunle, examined how Nigerian dress reflects identity, creativity, history and cultural pride, while also addressing the urgent need to preserve indigenous textile traditions.

Interactive discussions and hands-on workshops in embroidery, crocheting and knitting further inspired participants to value and sustain Nigeria’s textile heritage for future generations.

Read the full event summary here: https://ifra-nigeria.org/events-news/conferences/778-arts-of-fashion-and-textile-heritage

Call for Applications: 7th Edition of the Itinerant Doctoral School (EDI) – Abidjan 2026

🗓️ 2 - 6 November 2026
📍 Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire

Theme: “The Making of the Research Object in the Social Sciences: Methodologies, Ethics, and Practices”

The 7th edition of the Itinerant Doctoral School (EDI) will bring together doctoral researchers from across Africa for an intensive week of reflection, exchange and methodological training in the social sciences.

Organized in partnership with Institut de Recherche sur le Maghreb Contemporain (IRMC), IFRA–Nigeria, Centre Jacques Berque (CJB – Rabat), the Scientific Interest Group “Pensées Genre Penser Autrement” (GIS – PGPA) of Félix Houphouët-Boigny University, and Alassane Ouattara University.

Applications are open to doctoral students in the social sciences enrolled in a PhD program at a university or research institution based in an African country.

Application deadline: 10 June 2026

Read the full call for applications here: https://ifra-nigeria.org/opportunities/calls-grants/769-call-for-applications-doctoral-school-the-making-of-the-research-object-in-the-social-sciences-methodologies-ethics-and-practices

🔥 Event Alert!

✅ Workshop Energies for the future

📅 12th to 13th May 2026
📍 Africa Academy of Sciences, Karen, Nairobi

🔗 The roundtable will also be streamed live and can be accessed via the following link : https://aasciences-africa.zoom.us/meeting/register/_T_RT9c6QLuIR7OiQpajPw

Invitation: IFRA Methodological Seminar - 21 May 2026

Join us for another engaging session of the IFRA methodological seminar series featuring Dr. Stefan Le Courant (CNRS researcher, currently attached to IFRA-Nigeria).

Seminar Title: “Mysterious Absences: Initial Reflections from an Ongoing Study in Côte d’Ivoire”
Date: Thursday, 21 May
Time: 10.00 am - 12.00 pm
Venue: IFRA Resource Centre, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan

In this presentation, Dr Le Courant will offer an initial set of methodological reflections on an ongoing study he is jointly conducting with his colleague, Dr Carolina Kobelinsky, - focusing on the absent and the disappeared in the Ivorian contexts heavily marked by migration (mainly in Abidjan and Daloa).
Dr Le Courant will focus on examining the discourses used to discuss the absent, the role and position of intermediaries in the investigation. He will further address the ethical issues involved in researching such a sensitive topic.

This is an in-person event only and attendance is by registration and selection.
Register here before 18 May 2026: https://forms.gle/3cmvfZDtd7kiF9hK7

Upcoming Event at the National Museum Onikan Lagos

Join us on 13 May 2026 for a roundtable discussion titled:“Alternative Heritage in Time: Who Sabi?”

Over the past two years, the FEF-financed Alternative Heritage project has explored marginalized cultural expressions through critical inquiry, digital documentation and hands-on workshops. As we bring this journey to a close, this event offers a moment to reflect, question and reimagine.
This roundtable will bring together voices to interrogate dominant narratives, unpack the meaning of “alternative heritage” and chart more inclusive paths for preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural landscape.

📍 Venue: National Museum Lagos

Stay tuned for more details - and don’t forget to check out the attached e-flyer!

Upcoming Event at the National Museum Onikan Lagos

Join us on 13 May 2026 for a roundtable discussion titled:“Alternative Heritage in Time: Who Sabi?”

Over the past two years, the FEF-financed Alternative Heritage project has explored marginalized cultural expressions through critical inquiry, digital documentation and hands-on workshops. As we bring this journey to a close, this event offers a moment to reflect, question and reimagine.

This roundtable will bring together voices to interrogate dominant narratives, unpack the meaning of “alternative heritage” and chart more inclusive paths for preserving Nigeria’s rich cultural landscape.

📍 Venue: National Museum Lagos

Stay tuned for more details - and don’t forget to check out the attached e-flyer!

Open Call: Archives in Practice

CCA Lagos and IFRA-Nigeria invite applications for Archives in Practice, a programme developed as part of the CCA Lagos Archival Digitisation Project.

This initiative is dedicated to preserving CCA's archival collections, expanding access to them and fostering critical engagement with their relevance to contemporary artistic discourse.

This application is open to artists, curators and researchers across discipline and media, based in Lagos.

Apply via: https://forms.gle/5PDVkhA338T7d8Fs8

Deadline: 11 May 2026

Invitation: Exhibition “Sensitive Ways of Doing, Writing & Sharing Research”

IFRA-Nigeria, in collaboration with the Institut Français du Nigeria, Cornelius Adepegba Museum of African Art (CAMAA) and the Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan, is pleased to invite you to the exhibition titled “Sensitive Ways of Doing, Writing & Sharing Research”.

Date: 14 May 2026
Time: 12.00 PM – 2.00 PM
Venue: CAMAA, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan

The exhibition showcases the works of participants from the workshop held from 9 -12 February. The featured pieces include texts, photographs and audio recordings gathered at the Ibadan Central Bus Terminal during a collective fieldwork session. Together, these works reflect experimental, reflexive and collaborative approaches to research, highlighting how knowledge can be produced and shared through sensitive engagement with everyday spaces and experiences.

We warmly invite you to join us for this unique presentation.

Join us for a transformative event at the National Museum of Unity, Ibadan!

The National Museum Of Unity Ibadan, in collaboration with IFRA-Nigeria, is excited to announce an upcoming guest lecture and workshop themed “Make Your Medicine: Heritage, Culture and Health”. This is a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world of traditional medicinal practices in Nigeria.

🗓 6 May 2026
📍 National Museum of Unity, Aleshinloye, Ibadan
🕘 10:00 AM (Immersion session starts at 9:00 AM)

What to Expect:
- Tour: A specially curated exhibition and guided tour that delves into the museum's rich collection, focusing on health-related artifacts.
- Guest Lectures: Learn from experts in ethnomedicine and phytochemistry as they discuss the cultural, historical and scientific aspects of traditional health remedies.
- Hands-on Workshop: Participate in a practical session led by a professional herbalist on the preparation of medicinal herbal remedies.

This event is open to everyone - from children and students to adults passionate about health, culture and science. Best of all, no registration is required, and materials will be provided!