Gbenga Ilemobayo
The STEM4Climate Fellowship is set to launch its inaugural cohort on Saturday, May 16, 2026, marking a historic milestone in Nigeria’s climate action landscape and a bold step toward closing the gap between female STEM talent and climate leadership.
Positioned as Nigeria’s first cohort-based climate fellowship dedicated to women in STEM, the five-month programme will equip 30 carefully selected early-career female STEM professionals with foundational climate literacy, sustainability knowledge, and hands-on project experience to address Nigeria’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
The fellowship drew an overwhelming response at launch, receiving 360 applications from women across 12 African countries in two weeks, a clear signal that the demand for this kind of structured, technical climate education among women in STEM extends far beyond Nigeria’s borders.
Fellows will participate in virtual learning sessions connecting their specific STEM disciplines to real climate challenges, exploring themes, including renewable energy, waste management, climate-resilient infrastructure, and food security.
Each fellow will develop an individual climate impact brief documented in a digital report titled: ‘Her Climate Story’, mapping local environmental challenges to climate science and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The cohort will also collectively design and implement a community-based climate project, providing measurable impact.
Speaking on the initiative, Ini-Obong Antaih, Founder of STEM4Climate Fellowship and Sustainability and SDG Advocate of the Year 2025, described the fellowship as a response to a gap she experienced personally.
“I graduated as a chemical engineer and spent years not knowing how climate change connected to my profession,” Ini-obong shared.
She added, “I had to earn a master’s degree abroad to discover what should have been foundational. The STEM4Climate Fellowship is here to ensure that the next generation of African women do not have to wait years to find their place in the climate fight.
“This fellowship was created to bridge a critical gap between STEM education and climate action. We are equipping young women not just with knowledge, but with the tools, networks, and real-world experience needed to contribute meaningfully to climate solutions in Nigeria and across Africa.
“This is about building a pipeline of women who can lead in shaping sustainable systems for the future.”
The STEM4Climate Fellowship is actively seeking partnerships across funding, mentorship, technical support, media engagement, and community project implementation as it works to build a national network of emerging female climate leaders and drive inclusive climate action across Nigeria and the African continent.
