Announcing the Launch of the BRIDJE Fellowship

CRGI launches the Bridje Fellowship in partnership with University of Birghmingham, Surge Africa, One World Media & Mutante.

The Better Research Integration for Democratising Journalism on Energy (BRIDJE) Fellowship has officially launched, introducing a new initiative designed to strengthen how energy research is communicated to the public in Nigeria and across Africa. At a time when the climate crisis demands faster and more inclusive energy transitions, BRIDJE responds to a critical challenge: the gap between cutting-edge global research and the local contexts where energy decisions have the greatest impact.

In many developing countries, including Nigeria, public conversations on energy are often disconnected from the latest scientific insights. This disconnect limits the ability of citizens, policymakers, and communities to engage meaningfully with energy transition choices. The BRIDJE Fellowship seeks to close this gap by building structured collaborations between researchers and journalists, transforming complex research findings into compelling, problem-based stories that speak directly to local realities.

At the heart of the program is a collaborative model that pairs six Nigeria-based journalism fellows from the Climate Reporting Gap Initiative with six early-career energy researchers from the University of Birmingham. Through sustained engagement, each pair will work together to interpret research findings and explore how they relate to Nigeria’s evolving energy landscape and the broader African transition.

The fellows will be supported by four senior research advisors who will provide guidance throughout the collaboration process, ensuring both scientific accuracy and high journalistic standards. Their role includes reviewing collaboration plans, mentoring participants, and strengthening the quality of the final reporting outputs.

By fostering direct partnerships between researchers and journalists, the BRIDJE Fellowship aims to turn isolated research findings into compelling public-interest stories, empowering citizens with the knowledge needed to engage meaningfully in energy transition conversations.