Afrobarometer shines on global research stage
AFROBAROMETER has been named among 55 leading research organisations worldwide selected for the 2026 Think Tanks to Watch honour roll, making it the second consecutive year the pan-African survey research network has featured on the list.
The initiative by On Think Tanks (OTT) recognises organisations making notable contributions to research, policymaking and public debate.
Afrobarometer was selected for the impact of its research data, gathered through face-to-face interviews with ordinary Africans, in shaping policy decisions across the continent.
Its data have informed several policy processes, including South Africa’s Medium-Term Development Plan for 2024–2029, discussions in Ghana on proposed reforms to allow the direct election of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), and the launch of an entrepreneurship programme in Senegal.
The Chairperson of Afrobarometer’s Board of Directors, Amina Oyagbola, said in a press statement that the network had, for more than two decades, ensured that citizens’ views and experiences formed part of the evidence available to policymakers.
She said credible, independent data helped institutions understand citizens’ needs and make informed decisions.
The Chief Executive Officer of Afrobarometer, Joseph Asunka, noted that the listing underscored the importance of making research accessible and useful beyond the research community.
He clarified that the organisation went beyond collecting data to ensuring that its findings reached policymakers, researchers and civil society organisations capable of using them to inform decisions.
Think Tanks to Watch, launched in 2025, is a peer-recognition initiative that highlights valuable practices and contributions among research organisations worldwide.
Moreover, Afrobarometer has conducted more than 440,000 interviews across 45 African countries, covering the views of more than 75 per cent of the continent’s population.
Its data inform several international indices, including the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, Transparency International’s Global Corruption Barometer and the World Bank’s Worldwide Governance Indicators.
Its datasets are publicly available for free analysis.
BY TIMES REPORTER
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