By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, June 25, GNA – African policymakers and researchers have been urged to strengthen the use of research evidence in public decision-making to improve governance, accountability and development outcomes across the continent.
Participants at the 2026 Evidence-to-Action (E2A) Conference in Accra said a significant proportion of research produced by African institutions was not being translated into policies and programmes despite its potential to address pressing development challenges.
Mr Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia, made the call at the conference, which is on the theme: “Reimagining the Evidence-Informed Policy and Decision-Making Ecosystem in Africa.”
He said Africa remained “data-rich but information-poor,” as research findings frequently “gather dust” while decisions were taken without adequate evidence.
“A law not backed by data is a shock to the citizen, but a law backed by evidence is a tool for progress,” he said.
Mr Jatta said evidence-based policymaking was essential for effective national planning, public expenditure and service delivery, adding that policies developed without credible data often failed to reflect the needs of citizens, particularly young people and vulnerable groups.
He called for stronger collaboration among researchers, policymakers and civil society organisations to ensure that research findings informed practical interventions and public policy.
The conference has brought together participants from several African countries to share experiences and strengthen partnerships between research institutions and decision-makers.
Dr David S. Ameyaw, President of the International Centre for Evaluation and Development (ICED), said the conference was intended to bridge the gap between research production and policy implementation.
He said 47 evidence-informed policy and practice cases were being examined during the conference to demonstrate how research findings could be effectively translated into action.
“We must go beyond producing reports to ensuring that evidence leads to real change in policies and programmes,” he said.
Dr Ameyaw said the cases would be documented and shared as practical reference materials to support governments in integrating evidence into decision-making processes.
He said stronger use of evidence would enhance governance, improve accountability, reduce inefficiencies in public spending and help direct resources to areas of greatest need.
Dr Ameyaw also advocated stronger institutional systems to support evidence-informed policymaking through capacity-building and enhanced stakeholder collaboration.
The E2A Conference is providing a platform for policymakers, researchers and development practitioners to explore strategies for strengthening evidence-informed policy and decision-making across Africa.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Jibril Abdul Mumuni