The Evidence Base

Continental Capacity Matrix

Average readiness score by capacity domain, per country in scope. Scores expressed as percentage of maximum (0–100). Heat colouring: ≥70% 40–69% <40%

Comparative Lens

Who is leading, who is lagging, and which clusters emerge once the matrix is read horizontally rather than vertically.

Regional Distribution

Where are the continent's capacity gaps geographically concentrated? Each row is a UN Africa region; each column a capacity domain. The Gap column shows the spread (best − worst region) per domain — high values flag dimensions where the regional disparity is widest.

Sector Disaggregation

Universities, research institutes, and other organisations carry different roles in the research-to-impact pipeline. Their capacity profiles diverge accordingly.

Profiles

Composite readiness score, top three strengths, three highest-leverage gaps, and a narrative read for each entity in scope.

Indicator Deep-Reads

A handful of binary indicators carry outsized strategic weight. These are the readings worth pausing on.

Innovation Readiness Tiers

Institutions classified by composite score and the two highest-leverage governance dimensions (ethics + grants management). Listings show up to 12 institutions per tier.

Risks & Opportunities

Structural risks that could undermine readiness investments, alongside the asymmetric opportunities visible in the data.

Strategic Recommendations

Concrete actions, each grounded in a specific gap and routed to a realistic owner with a timeline.

Audience Briefs

The same evidence, framed for the two audiences who can act on it.

Areas for Further Research

Open questions and knowledge gaps that the current dataset surfaces but cannot yet answer.