Across West Africa, evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) remains a cornerstone of effective and equitable governance, yet the capacity to generate, interpret, and use high-quality evidence is uneven. While research production in the region has expanded, gaps persist between knowledge creation and its practical application in policymaking. Weak data systems, insufficient analytical capacity, and limited collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and civil society often prevent evidence from shaping the decisions that matter most. Recognizing this challenge, the African Center for Equitable Development (ACED), through the Africa LEEPS Partnership, set out to strengthen the evidence ecosystem by empowering local actors to effectively produce and use data for policy impact.

To address these gaps, ACED launched a comprehensive, demand-driven capacity-strengthening program across six West African countries. The initiative identified the most pressing needs through participatory diagnostics and focused on six priority themes: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in evidence use, data quality, evidence-informed decision-making, gender data integration, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and knowledge translation.

This brief outlines the methodology guiding the initiative, from needs assessment through to activity implementation. It presents the learning materials developed, analyzes activities delivered under each thematic area, shares evaluation results, and distills lessons learned into strategic recommendations aimed at sustaining and scaling the impact of these efforts.