Are you a senior lecturer or professor at a Nigerian university, or a master’s or PhD student, working in environment, health, geosciences or engineering? Renaissance Africa Energy Company, operator of the NNPC/Renaissance/TotalEnergies/Agip Joint Venture, is accepting applications for its JV Sabbatical and Postgraduate Research Internship Programme 2027. It’s a 12-month placement where academics and research students work inside one of Nigeria’s largest oil and gas operations. The reported deadline is 6 November 2026.
Programme at a Glance
- Organiser: Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited (operator of the NNPC/Renaissance JV)
- Two tracks: Sabbatical attachment for university lecturers, and Postgraduate Research Internship for master’s and PhD students
- Length: 12 months (non-renewable)
- For: Staff and students of Nigerian universities
- How to apply: By email, with the subject line set to your team or discipline of interest
- Reported deadline: 6 November 2026
About the Programme
The programme links Nigerian universities with industry. Academics and postgraduate researchers spend a year inside Renaissance’s exploration and production business, bringing their expertise while gaining real industry experience and data for their research. In the 2025–2026 round, Renaissance welcomed 14 professors and 23 research students from Nigerian universities, placed in areas such as biodiversity, petroleum engineering, social investment, community health and environmental impact assessment.
Track 1: Sabbatical Attachment for University Lecturers
Who: Senior Lecturers and above at Nigerian universities. Professors only for the Nigerian Content Development team.
- Environment: impact assessment and biodiversity, environmental toxicology, air quality, hydrobiology, water chemistry, hydrogeology, ecology
- Corporate Relations: social performance, Host Community Development Trusts, stakeholder relations
- Community Health: consultant community health, obstetrics and gynaecology, paediatrics
- Nigerian Content Development: professors in any engineering discipline with an interest in process or project engineering
- Centre of Excellence in Geosciences and Petroleum Engineering (University of Benin): geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering
- Centre of Excellence in Marine and Offshore Engineering (Rivers State University): marine and offshore engineering, naval architecture
- Exploration: geology, geophysics, and AI in exploration workflows
Track 2: Postgraduate Research Internship
Who: Master’s and PhD students at Nigerian universities.
- Environment: impact assessment and environmental compliance monitoring
- Occupational Health: health promotion, epidemiology, statistics
- Pipeline Availability: PhD candidates in mechanical, chemical, materials or oil and gas engineering, with at least three years’ pipeline engineering experience (design, construction or integrity assessment)
- Exploration: PhD candidates in geology or geophysics working on AI-related exploration workflows
Benefits
- 12 months inside a major energy operator, working on real operational challenges
- Industry data and exposure to strengthen your teaching or thesis research
- Professional networks across the oil and gas sector
- Practical experience in environment, health, engineering and geosciences
The listing doesn’t state any stipend or allowance, so ask Renaissance if you need to know.
Eligibility
- You’re at a Nigerian university, as a Senior Lecturer or above (sabbatical) or a master’s or PhD student (internship).
- Your discipline matches one of the listed teams.
- You’re available for 12 months. For lecturers, this usually means approved sabbatical leave from your university.
Required Documents
- An application letter stating your team or discipline of interest
- A CV with personal details, email address, phone number and three referees
- Sabbatical applicants: a one-page summary of how you’ll add value to Renaissance’s business
- Research interns: a research proposal covering background, technical objectives, methodology, data needed and expected outcomes
Tips for a Strong Application
- Use the right subject line. Your email subject must be your team or discipline of interest, such as “Environment” or “Exploration”.
- Link your expertise to their operations. Show how your work helps with environmental compliance, community health or exploration.
- Be specific about data needs in your research proposal, since access to industry data is one of the biggest benefits.
- Get sabbatical approval early from your university.
How to Apply
- Prepare your application letter, CV and value summary or research proposal.
- Email them to Renaissance’s university relations team. The listing gives [email protected].
- Use your team or discipline of interest as the subject line.
- Submit before the reported deadline of 6 November 2026.
Please note: We couldn’t find the 2027 call on Renaissance’s website, so the deadline and email address above come from published listings of the official advert. Before applying, confirm them through Renaissance’s official channels or your university’s research or industry-relations office.
Visit Renaissance Africa Energy’s official website
