EfD Nigeria is among 13 leading African think tanks, organised into three pan-African consortia that recently signed grant agreements with the African Union Commission (AUC) to implement a research project under the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) initiative. The agreement marked the formal launch of ATTP, a flagship initiative to strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and accelerate implementation of Agenda 2063 in Africa.
The ATTP is a five-year, $50 million initiative of the African Union, funded by the World Bank Group and implemented by the African Union Commission in partnership with the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) and the African Union Development Agency–NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD). The first phase of the project, which EfD Nigeria is a part of, will last for two and half years
Focus on producing policy-ready solutions to African problems
Under the agreements, a total of $24.2 million will be disbursed in phases to support institutional capacity strengthening, collaborative research, and the production of policy-ready solutions addressing Africa’s most pressing cross-border challenges under the Africa Think Tank Platform (ATTP) Project.
The grants will enable the think tanks to generate actionable policy evidence aligned with Agenda 2063 priorities, supporting member states and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) in translating continental commitments into tangible national and regional outcomes.
Three consortia participate in first phase of the ATTP project
EfD Nigeria belongs to one of the consortia named the Research Alliance for Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Development (RAISED). The group is led by the Economic Research Forum (Egypt), with the Partnership for Economic Policy (Kenya) as the third member.
Other consortia in the ATTP project include the Consortium for Africa Cross-Border Evidence and Policy Sovereignty (CACEPS), led by the African Population and Health Research Centre (Kenya), with the Egyptian Centre for Economic Studies (Egypt), Centre for Population and Environmental Development (Nigeria), Centro de Integridade Pública (Mozambique), and Initiative Prospective Agricole et Rural (Senegal).
The third group is called Building Resilience and Impact through Dialogue and Galvanising Action for Evidence-Informed Policymaking (BRIDGE) Africa, coordinated by the African Centre for Economic Transformation (Ghana), with the African Institute for Development Policy (Kenya), Denis & Lenora Foretia Foundation (Cameroon), South African Institute of International Affairs (South Africa), and Policy Centre for the New South (Morocco).
EfD Nigeria will implement four thematic areas
The think tanks will produce policy solutions aligned with six strategic thematic areas: economic transformation and governance, regional trade, climate change, food security, human capital development, and digitalization.
EfD Nigeria will focus on four thematic areas: economic transformation and governance, climate change, food security, and human capital development
“This investment affirms the African Union’s commitment to strengthening Africa’s intellectual infrastructure as a foundation for transformation,” said Ambassador Selma Malika Haddadi, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission.
Selma Malika Haddadi added that by empowering African think tanks to generate high-quality, policy-ready evidence, theAfrican Union is ensuring that Agenda 2063 is driven by African solutions, informed by African expertise, and translated into real and measurable impact for our citizens.
“The Africa Think Tank Platform will play a critical role in bridging the gap between continental ambition and national implementation,”Selma Malika Haddadi said.
“We are happy to be part of the ATTP. We will do our part to implement the terms of the agreement,” said Prof. Nnaemeka Chukwuone, the Director of EfD Nigeria.