Dr. Murtala Ibrahim |Religious Studies | Best Researcher Award

Dr. Murtala Ibrahim, Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen, Germany

Murtala Ibrahim is a scholar in Religious Studies with expertise in African religion, digital religious practices, and interreligious dynamics. He holds a Ph.D. from Utrecht University, specializing in Nigerian Pentecostal and Islamic movements. His work addresses how religion intersects with modernity, technology, and socio-political challenges. Ibrahim has received several prestigious fellowships and grants, including a postdoctoral fellowship from Utrecht University. He currently serves as an adjunct lecturer at Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen and is recognized for his contributions to religious studies, particularly in the African context. 🌍📚🔬

Professional Profile:

Scopus

Suitability for the Best Researcher Award:

Murtala Ibrahim is an exceptionally qualified candidate for the Best Researcher Award, owing to his impressive academic background, extensive research contributions, and notable professional development in the field of Religious Studies. His specialized focus on African religion, particularly Nigerian Pentecostalism and Islam, along with his exploration of the intersection between religion and modernity, makes his work highly relevant and impactful.

Education & Experience

• PhD in Religious Studies, Utrecht University (2012–2017) 🎓
• MA in Sociology of Religion, University of Jos (2010–2012) 📖
• BA in Religious Studies, University of Jos (2004–2008) 🎓
• Diploma in Computer Studies, ATBU Bauchi (1998–1999) 💻

Professional Development

Murtala Ibrahim’s research has earned him prestigious fellowships and grants, including the DFG Own Position (2025) and Global Encounter Fellowship (2024–2025). His work focuses on exploring religious practices in Nigeria, especially among Pentecostal and Islamic movements. Ibrahim has presented his findings at various international conferences, highlighting topics like the intersection of religion and technology in African contexts. He has mentored students and contributed to academic journals, with a growing impact on religious studies in the digital age. 🌐💼📈

Research Focus

Ibrahim’s research explores religious practices in Africa, particularly Pentecostalism and Islam. He focuses on the intersection of religion with modernity, media, and digital infrastructure, examining how these dynamics affect religious authority and community life. His work also investigates urban religious movements, vigilante governance, and the use of digital platforms in religious practice. Ibrahim’s comparative studies emphasize how religious diversity fosters interfaith borrowing and transformation. His studies contribute to a deeper understanding of African religious landscapes and their adaptation to global influences. 🔍📲🕌

Awards & Honors

• DFG Own Position, Research Grant (€400,517), Freie University Berlin (2025) 🏅
• Global Encounter Fellowship, Eberhard Karl University of Tübingen (2024–2025) 🌟
• Postdoctoral Fellowship, Department of Cultural Anthropology, Utrecht University (2020–2023) 🎓
• HONORS Fellowship, Dahlem Research School, Freie University Berlin (2018–2019) 🏆
• PhD Scholarship, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (2012–2017) 🎓

Publication Top Notes:

• 📄 Pentecostalism and media in Africa: Theoretical explorations of power and agency of media platforms and their users

  • Cited by: 2

• 📄 The clash of sound, image and light: inter- and intra-religious entanglements and contestations during Mawlūd celebrations in the city of Jos, Nigeria

  • Cited by: 2

• 📚 Sensational Piety: Practices of Mediation in Islamic and Pentecostal Movements in Abuja, Nigeria

  • Cited by: 1

• 📄 Oral transmission of the sacred: Preaching in Christ Embassy and nasfat in Abuja

  • Cited by: 5

• 📄 Curtailed Worship, Conspiracy Theories, and Hollywood Dystopias: Reactions to the COVID-19 Pandemic among the Reformist Muslims and Pentecostal Christians in Nigeria