A stakeholder view of the development of national evaluation systems in Africa

Abstract

Background: The need to demonstrate development results has prompted governments across Africa to build systems to generate, supply and use evaluative evidence for policy-informed decision-making, budgeting and programming. National evaluation systems (NESs) are being set up across Africa, together with the processes and other monitoring and evaluation (M&E) infrastructure for efficient and effective functioning. Objectives: This article seeks to document comparative developments in the growth of systems in Anglophone African countries, and provide an understanding of these systems for capacity-development interventions in these countries. It also aims to contribute to the public debate on the development of national M&E systems, institutionalisation of evaluation, and use of M&E evidence in the larger African context. Methods: This article uses four key dimensions as the conceptual framework of a national monitoring and evaluation system, including monitoring and evaluation systems in the executive; the functioning of parliamentary M&E systems; professionalisation of evaluation and existence of an enabling environment. A questionnaire was used to collect information based on the key dimensions from government and non-governmental personnel. The Mo Ibrahim index of 2018 was used to collect information on enabling environment. Results: Findings indicate that all systems have stakeholders with different roles and contexts and are designed according to the state architecture, prevailing resources and capacities. Conclusions: This article concludes that the findings can be used as different entry points for developing and strengthening M&E capacities in countries studied.