{"id":2852283,"date":"2025-09-16T05:14:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-16T10:14:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/?p=2852283"},"modified":"2025-09-16T06:39:57","modified_gmt":"2025-09-16T11:39:57","slug":"capacity-building-think-tanks-in-sub-saharan-africa","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/onthinktanks.org\/articles\/capacity-building-think-tanks-in-sub-saharan-africa\/","title":{"rendered":"As challenges grow, where are the capacity-building blocks for think tanks in Sub-Saharan Africa?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last few years have been characterised by a deep crisis that\u00a0seems paradoxical, as the world is modernising and the knowledge industry is evolving positively.\u00a0However, from this experience, one question\u00a0has emerged, raising\u00a0a simple yet urgent issue:\u00a0Do think tanks (TTs) still possess<\/span>\u00a0the institutional building blocks to deliver credible and sustained policy influence?<\/p>\n

Drawing on the State of the Sector Survey 2025 (which surveyed 44 think tanks in the sub-region) and ACED\u2019s on-the-ground experience, we aim to share insights with actors working to catalyse development by supporting and strengthening \u201cthink tanking\u00b9.\u201d<\/p>\n

Download the On Think Tanks State of the Sector Report 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

1. Where are the biggest skills gaps?<\/h3>\n

Someone says, “a man, a goal and the means”. \u00a0Here we might say, “an organisation, a goal and the means”. Whatever the context, it is the means that make the difference. They are the driver that enables a think tank to move confidently toward its goals.<\/p>\n

But what do think tanks themselves say they need to get stronger? When asked to choose up to three priority areas, respondents highlighted the following themes (see Figure 1):<\/p>\n

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Figure 1: Mains Capacity needs of think tanks in SS Africa<\/em><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a critical paradox here: even though fundraising is the most widely cited need, many organisations still underinvest in it. Only 41% report dedicating a moderate share of resources to fundraising, while 36% of budgets go to communications. In short, think tanks want better funding but often don\u2019t treat fundraising as a strategic, core function that requires professional investment. Furthermore, for some organisations, visibility itself is seen as a key factor of affirmation within their ecosystem\u2014a way to prove relevance and strengthen their position, even when their financial base remains fragile.<\/p>\n

2. Is AI a help or another challenge?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Technology has become impossible to ignore, and artificial intelligence is no exception. More than half (57%) of the surveyed think tanks already use AI tools, but mostly in fundamental ways, such as routine tasks like grammar correction (50%) and meeting note-taking (34%). Advanced uses, such as chatbots, image or video generation, and coding, remain rare (30% and 23%, respectively).<\/p>\n

So AI is already reshaping expectations. As one leader put it, \u201cToday we can\u2019t admit that someone writes a text with mistakes.\u201d<\/em> \u00a0Yet, without intentional investments in skills and governance, AI risks widening gaps rather than closing them, as barriers still hinder its use. Survey data for sub-Saharan think tanks show that barriers to broader adoption are practical and ethical:<\/p>\n