Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa

The formation of an evaluation network made up of former EASST fellows is a testament to the success of CEGA’s capacity-building efforts in the region.

CEGA has long invested in the rigorous research skills and networks of the next generation of East African social scientists through its East Africa Social Science Translation (EASST) Collaborative. While this initiative–and its deep network of scholars from low- and middle-income countries–continues to evolve and grow, it inspired a new, independent institution in 2017: The Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA). NIERA was formed by former fellows at the 2017 Africa Evidence Summit in Addis Ababa. The founders were motivated to “scale” learnings from the CEGA Fellowship Program, build on CEGA’s investments in research and training, and ultimately increase the scope, rigor, and influence of impact evaluations in Africa.

Hosted at the U.S. International University in Kenya, NIERA is an independent association of African scholars that advance decision-focused impact evaluations of development programs to address critical policy challenges. The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation provided seed funding for its critical “Year Zero” and has continued to offer support. The Global Networks program works closely alongside NIERA, including on the Collaboration for Inclusive Development Research (CIDR) initiative. CEGA and the entire NIERA network meet yearly to strategize on our shared goals of advancing evidence-informed public policy in Africa.