Nigerian Youths to Receive Up to $20,000 as UNICEF Backs New Wave of Climate Champions
- The global children’s fund, UNICEF, has opened an opportunity for young Nigerians to apply for a climate action project
- The 2026 Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education offers up to $20,000 to support youth-led initiatives
- The agency said the scheme is designed for young innovators already involved in or dreaming of building something strong
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
A major opportunity has opened for young Nigerians passionate about climate action, education and community impact.
UNICEF has launched the 2026 Leading Minds Fellowship on Climate Education, offering up to $20,000 to support youth-led ideas that can reshape how communities learn, adapt and respond to climate change.
Source: Getty Images
The programme is designed for young innovators already running climate education efforts or dreaming of building something powerful.
Transforming passion into real impact
It blends funding, mentorship and global visibility to help young people strengthen their projects and influence how climate awareness is taught across the world.
The fellowship is built around a simple idea: young people are not just victims of climate change but leaders who can transform how communities understand it.
According to a statement from the agency, selected fellows receive grants of up to $20,000 to expand their initiatives, from school-based climate clubs to digital learning tools, community outreach programmes, storytelling campaigns or advocacy projects.
Beyond funding, fellows also receive a stipend and work closely with UNICEF researchers and climate experts.
This gives them access to technical guidance, policy insights and the tools needed to scale their projects.
Participants will also join a global network of youth innovators working at the intersection of climate action and education.
MSME Africa reported that for many Nigerian youths struggling to fund promising ideas, this fellowship offers a rare chance to turn early efforts into structured, long-term impact.
Fellowship benefits: What selected youths will gain
UNICEF designed the programme to support young leaders in multiple ways. Key benefits include:
- Up to $20,000 in funding for selected climate education projects
- A fellowship stipend to support each participant’s time and engagement
- Technical mentorship through UNICEF partners and climate-education experts A visibility platform that connects fellows to global conversations, policy spaces and media
- Leadership and advocacy training with a focus on systems thinking, research, storytelling and community engagement
- Global networking opportunities with other climate-education leaders
Who can apply
The programme is open to young people aged 10 to 30 leading or representing a youth-driven climate education initiative.
Eligible projects may include: • School-based climate clubs or curriculum development • Community workshops and awareness campaigns • Digital media projects and creative storytelling • Partnerships with local authorities • Rights-based or justice-focused climate education
Applicants must be able to commit 4 to 5 hours weekly from February 2026 to July 2027 and should be comfortable working in English.
What fellows will do
- Selected fellows will build on their current work while receiving training and support. Their engagement includes:
- Strengthening and documenting their climate-education project • Contributing to youth-led research and foresight activities
- Designing educational tools and campaigns • Producing stories, evidence and resources that guide climate learning
- Joining global dialogues and events involving policymakers and climate leaders
How to apply
Applications are submitted online through the official UNICEF fellowship page: https://www.unicef.org/innocenti/leading-minds-fellowship-climate-education
Candidates must describe their project, its purpose and expected impact. Shortlisted applicants may be asked to provide additional details about their commitment and project plans.
Source: Twitter
The call for applications is currently open, giving young Nigerians a timely opportunity to step forward as climate-education leaders.
Two months ago, UNICEF announced the remote internship scheme for young people wishing to make impact from anywhere in the world.
The UNICEF Online Internship Programme is designed to provide practical learning and exposure to the humanitarian sector.
Interns will be integrated into day-to-day operations, attend virtual meetings, and collaborate on projects that shape UNICEF’s global programmes in education, child protection, communications, policy, health, and humanitarian response.
FG opens funding platforms for small business owners
Legit.ng earlier reported that Imo is gaining renewed attention at the national level as the Federal Government introduces new financing channels aimed at strengthening small businesses, agro-processing and gas-based industries across the state.
The announcement came during the Imo State Economic Summit 2025 in Owerri, where the Vice President described the state as an emerging growth hub in Nigeria’s economic diversification drive.
A major highlight of the summit was the disclosure that the Bank of Industry and the Development Bank of Nigeria will open fresh funding pathways for entrepreneurs.
Source: Legit.ng
