This is a story about unlocking the power of data in Zambia.

High-quality data is crucial to effective policymaking. With it, you have a clearer picture of a community's needs and a better basis for decision-making. Without it, you risk negative and unforeseen consequences. 

Since 2023, the International Growth Centre, or IGC, and government of Zambia, have been exploring a new way to help shift Zambia's public sector towards more sustained, informed decision-making with data. 

This started with a research project to map the government of Zambia's data landscape. IGC Zambia interviewed and conducted surveys with over 10 government ministries. They used the findings to demonstrate how structured data management could support policymaking, and created the concept of the Zambia Evidence Lab.  

Then, the Ministry of Finance and National Planning announced that they would establish the Lab - an outcome of the data mapping study. And following support from the Presidential Delivery Unit, and the Secretary to the Treasury, the Ministry of Finance formally launched the Lab at the 2024 Zambia Economic Growth Forum. 

By November, the Zambia Evidence Lab was up and running as a collaboration between the Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia Statistics Agency, and the IGC. 

Today, the Lab is embedded within the Ministry, with staff producing data dashboards, policy evaluations, and more - drawing on the IGC's global academic network.  

The Lab's ongoing work marks an important step in the democratisation of data and realising its potential for positive change in Zambia.

Unlocking the Power of Data in Zambia

The International Growth Centre (IGC) works with policymakers in developing countries to promote inclusive and sustainable growth through pathbreaking research.