Application Period- September 24, 2025 – September 30, 2025
Call for LONDA authors
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) invites applications for researchers for the 2025 edition of the LONDA report. Researchers should be from Cote d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone and Burundi. Successful applicants will conduct research from October 2025 to February 2026, with milestone submissions expected from November 2025.
About LONDA
Paradigm Initiative (PIN) monitors the state of digital rights and inclusion in Africa and intervenes with programmes and actions that best respond to the challenges. The expansion of internet access across Africa presents opportunities and challenges, ranging from digital inclusion and access to information, to threats such as digital exclusion, surveillance, censorship, internet shutdowns and regulatory overreach, among others. PIN will compile the Londa 2025 Report, an annual flagship publication by Paradigm Initiative, which serves as a monitoring and advocacy tool for civil society actors, media, governments and private sector actors. Londa – which means to protect or defend in isiZulu – provides evidence-based assessments of digital rights and inclusion across selected African countries. It highlights policy and implementation progress and regression, holding governments and private actors accountable and supporting civil society, media, and policy actors with reliable data. PIN will document digital rights and inclusion violations, highlight milestones and make recommendations to improve Africa’s digital landscape.
We are looking for researchers who meet the following requirements:
- Expertise in digital rights and inclusion issues within their country
- Experience with research design (quantitative and/or qualitative), data collection and analysis.
- A track record of publishing research reports or policy papers
- Commitment to a five-month research period (October 2025–February 2026)
Scope of Work
- Contribute one country report to the Digital Rights and Inclusion in Africa Report (Londa) 2025 annual report.
- Ensure that the country report complies with the methodology and format provided.
- Attend an onboarding inception meeting to understand the expectations in meeting the terms of reference for the report.
- Apply TheScore Index to their research.
- After the report is published, the author must be available to speak on the research findings at least three times in 2026 if requested by the organisation at launch events, X Spaces and other events on digital rights and inclusion, having been notified within a reasonable time.
- Reference Key statistics from Ripoti.Africa
Review and Selection
Researchers will be selected based on a review of applications by the Paradigm Initiative selection team based on set criteria:
- Geographic Location
- At least 2 years of Research Experience on digital rights and inclusion
- Evidence of research on the country of interest
- Strong command of English/French
- Experience in digital rights work
- Proven record of research capabilities
- Relevant postgraduate qualifications
Key Dates and Deadlines
Applications open: September 24, 2025 at 23:59 PM WAT
Applications close: September 30, 2025 at 23:59 PM WAT
Research timeline: October 15, 2025 to February 15 2026 with the first report draft expected on November 12, 2025.
Feedback to applicants: Successful researchers will receive feedback by October, 2025.
Amount
PIN will pay a US$1400 stipend to the researchers upon certifying reports as completed.
About Paradigm Initiative (PIN)
PIN connects under-served young Africans with digital opportunities and ensures the protection of their rights. We have worked in communities across Nigeria since 2007 and across Africa since 2017, building experience, community trust, and an organisational culture that positions us as a leading non-governmental organisation in ICT for Development and Digital Rights on the continent. Across our regional offices in Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cameroon and beyond, we have impacted youth with improved livelihoods through our digital inclusion and digital rights programmes.