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The data exists. The means don’t.
This stark observation captures the reality faced by many think tanks in West Africa. These institutions are expected to inform public debate, produce rigorous knowledge, and influence policymaking. Yet, despite their critical role in shaping the future of the region, they often struggle to fulfil their missions not because of a lack of commitment or talent, but due to limited tools, fragile institutional setups, and insufficient support to harness and mobilise data effectively.
Download the On Think Tanks State of the Sector Report 2025
At a time when evidence-based policy is being promoted globally, many West African think tanks are navigating a fragmented ecosystem where resources are scarce, infrastructure is weak, and systems are underdeveloped. The 2025 On Think Tanks survey, though based on a relatively small sample of 16 organisations, surfaces patterns that resonate far beyond its dataset. These patterns highlight three deep-rooted challenges: structural funding fragility, unrealised digital potential, and a gap between values and internal practice, especially in the area of gender equity.
1. Fragile economic models undermine the mission
An overwhelming 87% of the think tanks surveyed reported funding as their number one challenge. This is not a surprising figure, but it remains an alarming one. The dominance of short-term, project-based funding structures creates a constant scramble for survival, severely limiting the ability of these organisations to plan strategically, retain staff, or invest in long-term infrastructure.
In this kind of funding environment, think tanks are driven by deliverables rather than their mission. Their research agendas are often shaped by donor priorities rather than local needs. As a result, data collection and production become highly fragmented and opportunistic, conducted primarily to satisfy project requirements rather than to build a coherent body of knowledge or institutional intelligence.
But the production of meaningful analysis depends on more than just raw data. It depends on the conditions under which data is generated, stored, interpreted, and shared. Without stable teams, internal knowledge management systems, and flexible timelines, think tanks cannot develop high-quality, context-sensitive insights. Knowledge is not built it is improvised. And that improvisation comes at a cost: inconsistency, inefficiency, and missed opportunities for impact.
2. A digital promise largely unfulfilled
It is now widely accepted that data is power, but only when it is usable, organised, and contextualised. In reality, few West African think tanks have the digital infrastructure necessary to turn data into actionable evidence. The survey indicates minimal adoption of digital tools, such as data visualisation platforms, collaborative software, or real-time dashboards. Internal systems to monitor progress, share knowledge, or model policy scenarios are rare or nonexistent.
Even more concerning is the lack of internal data science and analytical capacity. Advanced skills in statistical programming, data wrangling, or predictive modelling are not widely available. When they are, they tend to be isolated within specific individuals, with little institutional continuity or mentorship structures.
As a result, organisations sit on unexploited data, sometimes rich, but unusable due to a lack of time, resources, or expertise. Opportunities to provide timely evidence are lost. The ability to engage in public debates with complex numbers is constrained. And most importantly, think tanks cannot fully play their role as brokers between knowledge and policy.
This digital lag is more than a technical issue. It is strategic. Without the tools and skills to structure, analyse, and communicate data effectively, think tanks remain peripheral in policy ecosystems increasingly shaped by data-driven decision-making.
3. Gender commitments are still too symbolic
Many of the surveyed think tanks list gender equality as a strategic priority. They recognise its importance in their mission statements, project proposals, and engagement with development partners. However, only 25% of these institutions are led or co-led by women.
This discrepancy reveals a broader problem: a disconnect between external discourse and internal practice. Promoting gender equity in research outputs while failing to embody it in leadership structures reflects a lack of coherence that undermines credibility.
But this is not just about symbolic representation. Gender equity is a question of governance, organisational culture, and long-term resilience. Institutions that fail to embed inclusive practices internally are less likely to produce truly transformative knowledge—walking the talk matters. This is especially important in institutions that aim to lead by example in shaping progressive and equitable societies.
Moving Forward: Three Levers for Change
Solving these challenges is not about producing more data. It is about creating the conditions that enable data to circulate, be valued, and inform decisions. To do so, three strategic levers must be activated:
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Shift from project-based to mission-driven funding
Think tanks require predictable, flexible funding that enables them to develop and maintain the internal systems necessary to support evidence production. This includes investments in data architecture, digital strategy, and organisational development. Mission-driven funding supports strategic continuity, reduces fragmentation, and enables organisations to innovate and adapt in response to national priorities.
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Strengthen data and analytical capabilities
Rather than relying on ad hoc training, funders and partners should support the creation of ecosystems of skills, including hybrid teams that combine research and technical expertise, networks of regional mentors, partnerships with academic institutions, and open access to documentation and tools. By decoupling knowledge production from bureaucratic constraints, think tanks can invest in deep learning and experimentation, thereby enhancing their capabilities.
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Promote regional collaboration and mutualisation
Data becomes powerful when it is shared. By creating standard tools, indicator libraries, and replicable models, think tanks can pool their strengths and overcome individual limitations. Initiatives like LEEPS, co-led by IPAR and ACED, are promising examples of such mutualisation, enabling institutions to go further together than they could alone.
Rethinking the Invisible Infrastructure of Evidence
Think tanks are often evaluated based on their visible outputs, such as policy briefs, research reports, or public events. But their real power lies in what is invisible: the systems that allow them to collect, organise, and analyse data in a strategic, coherent, and timely manner.
These systems, or lack thereof, determine whether think tanks are reactive or proactive, marginal or central to the decision-making process. Investing in this invisible infrastructure is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity. It is essential to transform these institutions from content producers into genuine engines of insight and influence.
Conclusion
West African think tanks play a crucial role in strengthening democracy, promoting accountability, and fostering sustainable development through evidence-based approaches. But their transformative potential remains constrained by structural fragility, underinvestment in digital capacity, and inconsistencies between stated values and internal practices.
This blog is not a generic call to action. It is a call for a strategic shift: from measuring think tanks by their outputs to supporting them in building the conditions of intelligence. The invisible foundations that allow data to become knowledge, and knowledge to become power.
Only then can data stop being a mirage and start acting as a genuine lever of political and social transformation.
