In 2018 I came across a remarkable platform for evidence-based policy making called ‘What Works’ through a mentor of mine in the United Kingdom. He had helped establish various What Works centres to support governments across the country. The What Works Network, made up of 10 independent What Works Centres that specialise in specific policy areas, such as crime reduction, education, and social mobility, aims to improve the use of evidence in decision-making across a range of policy areas.
The goal of the What Works Network is to ensure that policy decisions are based on the best available evidence, rather than on ideology, political bias, or personal opinion. The network conducts and reviews research, synthesizes evidence, and communicates findings to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.
The What Works Centres work closely with government departments, local authorities, charities, and other organizations to ensure that evidence is used to inform policy and practice. They also provide training and support to help practitioners and policymakers make use of evidence in their work. Overall, the What Works Network aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of public services by promoting evidence-based decision-making.
I was fascinated to discover this and immediately thought how transformational a Nigerian version of this would be for the transfer of evidence-based policies across governments and especially the continuity and perpetuity of good reforms.
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I particularly thought, for states that shared borders and similar challenges like the north-western states, this could be game-changing. Imagine if for instance Kano State could learn from Jigawa what successes the state has recorded in pensions and if Kaduna could share learnings with Katsina State in revenue generation and Niger could work with Sokoto on security in the most evidence-based way.
This will of course be beyond peer-review and focus on actionable, evidence-based policies ready to be adapted and implemented with mechanisms for evaluation through the centre or network. It also transcends the various governors forums and other organisations in the network’s capacity for rigour, it has lack of political bias and has transparency and openness.
I know of various valiant efforts, like Dr Usman Bugaje’s Arewa Research & Development Project (ARDP), which for years have sought to support many northern states in various policy areas. However, one could only imagine the level of collaboration or lack of it that an independent, non-governmental organisation can get in matters of policy around fields like security or even the economy from governments.
It is essential, as seen in the case of the United Kingdom, that the government should not only be involved in the vehicle to drive evidence-based decision-making but also be able to synthesise and adapt to its peculiarities.
Also, the interconnectedness of such a network like the What Works network helps surmount some of the challenges that a singular centre may face since it may not be practical for one centre or vehicle to effectively handle all the facets of governance.
Despite their political differences after the 2023 elections, I believe it is time that the northern states came together in order to set up some form of a ‘What Works’ network that enables them to not only share notes but collectively tackle challenges that otherwise could not be solved in isolation like security and education.
It is also not far-fetched to think of a nationwide network that enabled this evidence-based decision-making in government, from federal to local in order to create value and promote learning and collaboration between all states and the federal government.
Each state could establish a What Works Centre to focus on specific policy areas of interest to their state, such as security, education, healthcare, or agriculture. The centres would be responsible for synthesizing existing evidence, conducting research, and communicating findings to policymakers, practitioners, and the public.
The states could work together to share knowledge and learn from each other’s experiences. They could establish a network of policymakers, researchers, and practitioners who could meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest and share evidence-based practices.
To enable collaboration and dissemination, the states could establish an online platform to share research, data, and evidence-based practices. This platform could also host webinars, workshops, and training sessions to build capacity among policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.
The states could also engage local communities in the What Works initiative by involving them in the design and implementation of policies and programs. This would help ensure that policies are relevant to local needs and are more likely to be effective.
In order to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise, the states should monitor and evaluate policies and programmes to assess their effectiveness and make improvements where necessary. This would involve collecting and analysing data, evaluating outcomes, and making evidence-based decisions.
By adopting the What Works approach, I believe the state governments could promote evidence-based decision-making and create a more lasting value for their states. They could also learn from each other’s experiences, share knowledge and resources, and collaborate to solve common problems.
A prime example is confronting security challenges in Katsina, Kaduna, and Zamfara using the What Works approach involving a multi-faceted strategy that integrates evidence-based practices, community engagement, and inter-state collaboration. This should be the new modus operandi going forward.
