At Inawa Institute, we believe that sustainable progress in Africa thrives at the intersection of strong human capital, informed public policies and strategic investment. Established in Benin in 2020, we serve as a dedicated partner to those seeking to turn complex social and economic challenges into pathways for lasting impact.

Enabling African leaders with data and insight to drive sustainable growth and meaningful change across economies.

Be Africa’s leading partner for catalytic growth through evidence, local talent, and lasting impact.

Our work is grounded in reliability, fueled by innovation, guided by evidence, and focused on inclusive impact.

How It All Began

Inawa Institute was created from a shared vision that Africa’s progress depends on decisions grounded in clarity, credible evidence, and deep understanding of local realities. What began as the ambition of young experts from diverse professional backgrounds has evolved into a dedicated institution at the forefront of decision making sciences in West Africa.

We grew out of field experience, academic rigor, and a commitment to improving how programs and policies are designed, measured, and scaled. Every study we conduct and every system we build is guided by our belief that knowledge should empower people, strengthen institutions, and illuminate pathways for inclusive development.

Today, Inawa stands as a trusted ally for governments, development partners, and private sector actors seeking to transform data into real-world impact. Our story is driven by a simple conviction: “Understanding issues. Informing progress. And with every project, we work to ensure that progress is sustainable, equitable, and owned by the communities it serves.

Areas of intervention

Agriculture & Rural Development

We deliver data and evaluation to improve productivity, market access, and resilience across agri-food systems and rural economies

Health & Nutrition

We support program design, monitoring, and evaluation to improve service quality, equity, and measurable health and nutrition results.

Education, Skills & Employment

We generate evidence to improve learning outcomes, workforce readiness, and job pathways, especially for youth and underserved groups.

Governance, Transparency & Accountability

We strengthen governance by tracking service delivery, institutional performance, and citizen feedback to improve accountability and results.

Gender Equality & Social Inclusion (GESI)

We integrate GESI across data systems and evaluations to ensure programs reduce gaps and reach those most left behind.

Digital Development & Technology

We design secure digital workflows, data platforms, and dashboards that improve operational efficiency, transparency, and decision-making.

Climate Change, Energy & Environment

We assess climate and environmental outcomes to guide adaptation, mitigation, and clean-energy investments with measurable results.

Entrepreneurship & SME Development

We support SMEs and entrepreneurship programs with market insights, performance analytics, and impact measurement to unlock sustainable growth.

Our leadership

With full‑time staff, locally based research teams, and trusted, well‑trained enumerator networks, Inawa ensures rapid start‑up and seamless deployment of research activities. Our field operations follow strict quality and ethical standards, guaranteeing reliable, high‑integrity data. This operational strength is reinforced by a diverse pool of seasoned experts who provide strong technical leadership across every project.

Koffi A. Gueguehoun

Managing Partner

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Djamiou Ohounko

Partner

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Clément Litchégbé

Project Manager

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Life at Inawa Institute

Our services

Data collection and analytics

We design and run data collection, then clean, analyze, and visualize results to drive action.

Monitoring & Evaluation

We build robust M&E systems that monitor delivery and measure outcomes with clarity and accountability.

Impact assessment

We assess causal impact to determine what works, for whom, and under what conditions.

Empirical studies

We deliver rigorous empirical research to inform policy, strategy, and investment decisions.

Strategy and financial advisory

We design Africa-fit strategy, sustainability, and blended finance to help organizations scale.

Training and capacity building

We equip teams with practical, tool-based training that improves performance long after the project ends.