Nest Africa AI innovation Lab Volunteer Internship 2026 Positions - NAIJA STICK

Nest Africa AI innovation Lab Volunteer Internship 2026 Positions

Nest Africa Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Lab  is a research-driven innovation hub dedicated to advancing ethical, inclusive, and Africa-centred artificial intelligence. 

• We work at the intersection of AI research, policy, innovation, capacity building, and digital governance, supporting startups, researchers, policymakers, and communities across Africa.
• As part of our commitment to women’s participation in technology, research, and leadership, we are recruiting female volunteer interns to support our operations, programs, and research activities in the coming year. However, other genders can apply as well.

Our Mission: 

To advance applied AI research, innovation, and capacity building, and to develop inclusive, data-driven technologies that address Africa’s most pressing social, economic, and environmental challenges while empowering governments, businesses, and communities with ethical, scalable, and locally relevant AI solutions.

Our Vision: 

• An Africa where responsible, inclusive, and locally led AI-driven innovation, built for Africa by Africans, advances social progress, strengthens institutions, accelerates economic transformation, and enables sustainable development for all communities.

Core Values: Innovation, Sustainability | Collaboration, Research, Community-Driven, Social Entrepreneurship, Agency.

Mode: 

• Remote (Africa)

Duration: 

3–4 months (with possibility of extension).

Internship Roles are Available

• Admin & HR Intern
• Research Intern I (AI Policy, Governance & Digital Policy)
• Research Intern II (Applied AI & Technical Research)
• Communications Intern
• Finance & Grant Writing Intern
• Programmes and Capacity Building Intern

Structure of the Internship

Type: Volunteer Internship

Duration: 3–4 months (with possible extension based on performance and organisational needs)

Mode: Fully Remote (Africa-based)

Start Period: January (following selection)

Roles Description

Admin & Human Resources (HR) Intern

The Admin & HR Intern supports the internal coordination, documentation, and people-management systems of the Lab. 

• This role provides the organisational backbone that enables Nest Africa’s research, innovation, training, and policy engagements to run effectively. 
• The intern will work closely with all units; research, programmes, communications, and finance, gaining a holistic understanding of how an AI research and innovation lab operates.

Key Responsibilities:

Support internal documentation, record-keeping, and filing systems.

Assist recruitment, onboarding, and offboarding of interns, volunteers, and collaborators.

• Coordinate meeting schedules, internal communications, and follow-ups.
• Maintain team databases, attendance logs, and institutional records.
• Support drafting of internal policies, guidelines, and operational reports.

Ideal Background: Public Administration, Human Resources, Law, Management, Social Sciences, or related fields.

Key Responsibilities

Support applied AI research projects, including data preparation, analysis, and experimentation

• Assist in developing, testing, or documenting AI models, tools, or prototypes
• Conduct technical literature reviews on AI methods, datasets, and emerging technologies
• Collaborate with policy, research, and programme teams to translate technical findings into usable insights
• Support documentation of applied research processes, results, and limitations
• Use and contribute to research platforms and tools (e.g., GitHub, Google Colab, Hugging Face, Kaggle)
• Participate in multidisciplinary research meetings and technical reviews

Technical Skills (Preferred)

Programming experience (e.g., Python, R, SQL, JavaScript)

Familiarity with data analysis and machine learning libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch)

• Experience with version control systems (Git/GitHub)
• Ability to work with datasets, APIs, or research platforms
• Strong documentation and reproducibility practices

Ideal Background: Computer Science, Data Science, AI/ML, Engineering, Information Systems, Computational Social Science, or related technical disciplines.

Application Deadline: 25 January 2026

How to Apply 

Interested applicant can apply via this link 

Apply Now