News
Africa Evidence Network Newsletter April 2026
20th April 2026
Making data the foundation of development
20th April 2026
Faire des données le socle du développement
20th April 2026
What Africa Knows, and Who Gets to Hear It
20th April 2026
Changing the script: What does "innovation" actually look like? 🌍
Innovation is often mistaken for just big tech or massive scale. At @Africa_evidence, we believe true progress is rooted in values, creativity, and the power of community.
Our spotlight highlights how local
Shaping policy through evidence: Oxford’s CSAE fellowship
🌍 @Oxford_CSAE is offering a prestigious Postdoctoral Research Fellowship.
This role empowers early-career scholars to advance evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) in development economics, focusing on education
📣 We're hiring a postdoc to join us on education research projects at Oxford @OxfordEconDept @Oxford_CSAE. Join me @gamblingondev @roccozizzamia on multiple exciting projects! Applications due June 7th.
https://www.economics.ox.ac.uk/csae-postdoctoral-research-fellow
🌍 From every corner, one continental voice: Africa’s innovation stories rise
Africa’s voices are coming through, and they carry weight, depth, and direction.
From Egypt and Ethiopia to Zambia and Tanzania, from Nigeria and Rwanda to Ghana and Kenya, and stretching through
🌍From aid to agency: Health systems in transition
African health systems are at a crossroads: moving from donor dependence to self-reliance. This commentary highlights practical levers for sovereignty, accountability, and resilience. For the #EIDMcommunity, it’s a call to

Delighted to share our new paper on the transition from dependence to self-reliance in #financing & governing #African health systems!
Thx @EdwineBarasa, @Soppante, Yuniwo Nfor, & Eric Arthur. @PANAFRMEDJ #healthfinancing, #healthsystems, #governance
https://www.africanjhesp.org/content/article/1/3/full/
🚀 From evidence to action: Africa’s changemakers are taking the lead.
🌍 Africa’s evidence ecosystem is evolving, and the next step starts with you.
The 9th Evidence to Action (E2A) Conference and Exhibition is bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and

[1/2]💡Evidence to Action 2026 isn’t just a topic; but a conference for all to generate answers on what works.
#EvidenceToAction2026 will address these key thematic priorities👇🏻
Learn more and REGISTER http://bit.ly/E2A2026Register to be part of the knowledge decision-making process.
🌍 Africa is showing up and turning ideas into action
From Egypt to Ethiopia, Zambia to Tanzania, Nigeria to Rwanda, Ghana to Kenya, and Cameroon, bold, values-driven voices are stepping forward.
We’re in our awareness + gratitude phase for the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge,
🌍 AI in evaluation: Opportunity or oversimplification for evidence use?
A recent reflection by @TwendeMnE challenges the evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) community to think beyond the hype of AI and focus on what truly matters for evaluation and evidence use.
As AI

🇸🇳 Just back from Dakar: 2,500 applicants for 50 seats at the AI for Evaluation workshop.
The verdict from @TwendeMbele's Amanda Deuchars?
AI = speed.
Humans = judgement.
"AI can generate convincing statistics that were never calculated. Credibility still sits with the
🚀 African Innovation Is Already Here
Innovation isn’t coming; it’s already happening across Africa.
Yesterday, in our webinar, we spotlighted powerful insights from the following:
@K_Atengble, @okwen, @RuthS3, James Ngerere, @YolandeBou91940, Ayafor Ngwa, and @OngoloMerveille:
🌍✨ Today: Africa’s Innovation Futures.
📅 29 April | 14:00–15:15 SAST
Thank you to all who’ve registered for our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge learning webinar; you’re shaping a vibrant, multilingual community of evidence and innovation.
👉 Still time to register:
🚨 It's happening tomorrow!
Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge learning webinar.
📅 29 April | 🕑 14:00–15:15 SAST
We’re grateful to all who have registered for our webinar; your engagement is helping drive a diverse, multilingual movement for evidence and innovation across
⏳48 Hours: Be Part of the Shift
2 days to go until our learning webinar.
A huge thanks to everyone already registered 🙌🏾 — if you haven’t yet, don’t miss out.
✨Real stories.
🤝Shared learning space.
🗣English and French dialogue.
🗓 29 April | 14:00 SAST.
⏳ Final Call: Africa Leads the Way
3 days to go. The shift from ideas to action starts now.
We are hosting a webinar grounded in African values, voices, and real-world innovation.
What’s happening on 29 April:
🗣 English & French dialogue.
✨Real stories from practitioners.
🌍 Innovation ≠ tech. It’s people.
What if we flipped the script on innovation in Africa?
Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge is about people, context, and values, not just tech or big budgets.
💡 Rethink innovation:
• Context > novelty.
• Impact > extraction.
• Inclusion
🦎 From Deficit to Power: Rethinking Innovation in Africa
"Just because the lizard nods doesn’t mean it agrees."
The old “capacity building” story misses the point.
We are shifting the focus to capacity sharing where African strengths, leadership, and context lead the way.
✔️
🎤 Whose Story Counts? Reclaiming Innovation in Africa
"It is the person who experiences the event who tells the story."
For too long, “innovation” has been defined from the outside. But we are flipping the script.
Real innovation = local, lived, values-driven. 🤝🏾
We're
🌍✨ One week to go.
📅 29 April | 🕑 14:00–15:15 SAST
We deeply appreciate all those who have registered for our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge learning webinar; you are strengthening a diverse, multilingual community committed to evidence and innovation.
- Welcome by
🌍 Innovating With Intent: Africa’s Own Path
Are you ready to innovate on our own terms?
Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge is more than a competition; it’s a movement. We’re moving away from "technology-centric by default” and toward innovation that is:
- Values‑driven.
-
✨Your Impact Matters
Innovation can look like trust, local ownership, learning, and adaptation.
That’s what the AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates.
📅 Register for our 29 April webinar: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/84571d79-a786-4f3f-b055-7c007e1c85f7@7837a068-20e5-4c0b-8f75-9e9535878f5a.
⏰ The submission deadline is 29 May: https://x.com/Africa_evidence/status/2045019425347338536/photo/1
⏳The Countdown
Big or small.
English or French.
Formal or informal.
Digital or relational.
What matters is African-rooted innovation.
📅 Register for our 29 April webinar: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/84571d79-a786-4f3f-b055-7c007e1c85f7@7837a068-20e5-4c0b-8f75-9e9535878f5a.
⏰ The submission deadline is 29 May: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf. https://x.com/Africa_evidence/status/2044657040337887322/photo/1
🌍Thank you to everyone who has already registered for our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge webinar on 29 April.
Your early support shows the strength of a growing movement committed to African-led, evidence-informed innovation.
This is more than a webinar. It’s a space to refine
💡Bring Your Questions
Thank you to all those who have already registered for our 29 April webinar 🙌.
Not yet? Join us to shape a stronger Manifesto-aligned submission in English or French: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/84571d79-a786-4f3f-b055-7c007e1c85f7@7837a068-20e5-4c0b-8f75-9e9535878f5a.
⏰ The submission deadline is 29 May:
💡What small change created a big impact?
Hear reflections from James Ngerere Ndimbii, @YolandeBou91940, Ayafor Leonel Ngwa and Prof @RuthS3 at the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge Learning Webinar.
📅 29 April | 🕑 14:00–15:15 SAST
🌍 Inclusive. Multilingual. Community-driven.
👏Recognition Through Practice
The AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge rewards efficiency, creativity and contextual intelligence. 🌍
🌟 Thank you to info session attendees and applicants.
Submit in English or French — inclusivity matters.
📅Deadline: 29 May
📖 Application
💡Efficiency Redefined
Efficiency = resource-conscious practice. That’s what the AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates.
🙏 Thanks for joining our info session.
Submissions open in English and French, with Francophone voices included.
📅Deadline: 29 May
👉 Apply:
🌍✨ Meet the Voices of Innovation.
We’re excited to invite you to our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge Learning Webinar on 📅 29 April | 🕑 14:00–15:15 SAST.
This engaging session will spotlight diverse perspectives from across Africa’s evidence ecosystem.
- Chairperson:
✨ Values Over Scale
Innovation isn’t about budgets; it’s about values, relationships and context. That’s the AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge.
👏 Thanks to info session attendees and early applicants.
More details on the webinar (29 April) will be available soon.
Submit in
Africa’s creativity is thriving. 🌍💡
The @Africa_evidence #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates ingenuity under constraints, inclusivity, and collaboration.
Highlights from the April 1 session:
• @DivineAdongo: move from reflection to recognition.
• @ngang_eric:
🌍Evidence in Action
The AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates African-led, values-driven innovation in EIDM.🌟
🙏 Thanks to info session participants and early applicants.
Keep an eye out for more details about our webinar on 29 April.
Submissions open in English and
Replay the AEN Manifesto Innovation Challenge Info Session!
Missed our interactive session? You can still access the session resources — presentation + webinar replay — to prepare your submission.
📅 Submissions close: 29 May 2026
📍 Recognition: Africa Evidence Week 2026
Join our friends as they launch the Unlocking Data Initiative Community of Learning (CoL)—a Pan‑African platform that brings together education stakeholders to tackle shared data challenges and co‑create solutions for stronger learning outcomes.
· Date: Apr 8, 2026, 03:00 PM
🎉 Happening Today: Our Manifesto Innovation Challenge Information Session.
Today's the day. Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge Information Session starts at 14:00 SAST.
Discover why African-led innovation matters, hear inspiring stories, and share your own.
There's still time
🌍 Stories of Impact: Celebrating Evidence Leadership Across Africa
Through the Africa Evidence Leadership Award (AELA) campaign, we amplified 9 powerful stories from our 18 winners, spotlighting their journeys in advancing evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM).
📹 From
Your Innovation Story is Powerful💬.
This session is interactive. Join our Mini Story Circle at the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge information session to share YOUR example of innovation in Africa. Your voice matters; your experience inspires.
📅 1 April, 14:00 SAST; contribute
🔥 Hear Inspiring Stories of Innovation.
Ever wonder how creativity thrives despite challenges?
Join our Fireside Conversation at the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge information session.
Hear directly from practitioners on innovation under constraints, resilience, and https://x.com/Africa_evidence/status/2038496450041274589/photo/1
Innovation Knows No Language Barriers 🇫🇷
Innovation is multilingual, and we're celebrating it. Our information session on 1 April (14:00 SAST) includes a French reflection that affirms bilingual access to the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge.
Submitting?
✔ Broad eligibility
Innovation: It's Not What You Think.
It's not about big budgets or flashy technology. Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates principled practices: resourcefulness, indigenous knowledge, and efficiency under constraints. This is African-led innovation, defined by us.🌍
🌍 Everyday innovation deserves recognition.
Join the info session on 1 April to learn more about the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge.
👉 Register here: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/a47ad757-3770-4e1d-aa23-baad7d087d7c@7837a068-20e5-4c0b-8f75-9e9535878f5a.
#AfricanLedInnovation #AfricaLovesEvidence #CommunityDrivenChange #DecolonisingEvidence
📢 Join Africa’s evidence movement.
Our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates African-led innovation in #EIDM.
Deadline: 29 May: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf.
Be featured during the 2026 Africa Evidence Week.
#AfricaLovesEvidence #EvidenceDriven #LeaveNoOneBehind #OnlyTogether
✨ Principled, Resilient, Resourceful — Learn More at Our Information Session
African innovation is principled, resilient, and resourceful 🌍.
The AEN #ManifestoInnovationChallenge celebrates these practices.
Join Our Information Session:
📅 1 April | 🕒 14:00–15:00 SAST
⏳ The countdown is on: share your innovation.
Innovation isn’t about big budgets; it’s about principled practice under real-world constraints.
Submit your initiative to our #ManifestoInnovationChallenge by 29 May: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf.
#AfricanSolutions #EIDMInnovation
💡 Thank you to all who’ve submitted to the #ManifestoInnovationChallenge.
Your stories of efficiency and African-led practice inspire us all.
Haven’t yet? Submit by 29 May: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf.
#CapacityForChange #ImpactThroughEvidence
🌟 From Evidence to Impact: Enock Musungwini’s Leadership Journey
Recognition matters. Spotlighting #AELA winners shows how Africa’s evidence ecosystem is quietly, relationally, creatively transforming.
In 2024, @Enomark1979, Programme Manager at @PangaeaZimbabwe, won the
🌟 Evidence Mediation in Action: Celebrating Leadership in #EIDM
🎤 Inspiration takes the stage. Meet Dr Temitope Sogbanmu, Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos and #AELA2022 Evidence Mediator winner.
Since her award, she’s been bridging science and policy through the
🌍 Inclusivity in action: Join the Evidence Movement in English and French.
The #AENManifesto is now available in English and French: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AEN_Manifesto_Bilingual_EN_FR_final.pdf.
📖 Submit your innovation by 29 May and join Africa’s evidence movement: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf.
#LeaveNoOneBehind
🌟Showcase Your Practice: Apply Before 29 May.
The @Africa_evidence #ManifestoInnovationChallenge closes on 29 May. Share how you’ve lived the #AENManifesto in practice, community or institutional, big or small; your innovation matters.
👉 Apply now: https://africaevidencenetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Application-Guide_Manifesto-Innovation-Challenge_final.pdf.
⏳ Time is running out!
The @Africa_evidence #ManifestoInnovationChallenge closes on 29 May. Showcase how you’ve brought the Manifesto’s principles to life, whether through grassroots initiatives or institutional strategies.
Your innovation deserves recognition. Share your https://x.com/Africa_evidence/status/2034872568046617017/photo/1
🌍✨ Evidence Leadership Redefined: Inspiring Change Across Africa
The journeys of our Africa Evidence Leadership Award (AELA) winners remind us that true leadership is about courage, creativity, and making the most of resources to achieve lasting impact.
We proudly spotlight
🌍 NextGen Evidence Leaders: Shaping Africa’s Future
Evidence leadership goes beyond data; it’s about people, context, and inclusivity. The Africa Evidence Leadership Award (#AELA2025) celebrates emerging voices like Fabio Bezerra, honoured as an Emerging Leader under 35. His
🌍 Emerging Evidence Leaders: Africa’s Future in Focus
💬 Africa Evidence Leadership Award (AELA) winner, @FBogale (Emerging Leader under 35, 2024) shares how the award shaped her journey, deepening collaboration with policymakers, strengthening evidence platforms, and engaging
📊 Why It Matters: Shaping Africa’s Evidence Future
The @Africa_evidence #ManifestoInnovationChallenge isn’t just about recognition, it’s about embedding values-driven innovation into Africa’s evidence ecosystems. By sharing your initiative, you help grow:
- A repository of
Members
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The Africa Evidence Network (AEN) is the most diverse regional evidence network. It spans policymakers, researchers, civil society and all types of evidence intermediaries. The AEN has members in all African countries and additional ones outside of the continent. The AEN membership comprises a vast range of expertise and perspectives reflecting the Network’s geographical and professional breadth and depth.

Events
5th December 2025
OTT Conference 2026
5th December 2025
Evidence to Impact Symposium
16th January 2026
2026 Africa Evidence Summit
16th January 2026
JBI iGNITE
16th January 2026
2026 Central Africa Think Tank Forum
12th February 2026
2026 Evidence to Action Conference
20th February 2026
10th SAMEA Biennial Conference
4th March 2026
Cochrane Colloquium Krakow 2026
AEN Blog
Making data the foundation of development
20th April 2026
Faire des données le socle du développement
20th April 2026
What Africa Knows, and Who Gets to Hear It
20th April 2026
Making data the foundation of development
20th April 2026
Faire des données le socle du développement
20th April 2026
What Africa Knows, and Who Gets to Hear It
20th April 2026
Making data the foundation of development
20th April 2026
Faire des données le socle du développement
20th April 2026
What Africa Knows, and Who Gets to Hear It
20th April 2026
Only together can evidence-informed decision-making become a reality.
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