Panelists onstage at the event. From left to right: Mr. Muazu Muhammad Kabir (Assistant Director, Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion Department, Central Bank of Nigeria); Mr. Aliyu Mustapha Mohammed (Principal Manager and Head, Data Management Office, CBN); Oluwafemi Aro (Senior MEL Associate, IPA Nigeria); and Dr. Chukwuma Okwoli (Visiting Lead, Research & Policy, Nextier). Photo © Kofoworola Olaoba

Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) partnered with Nextier at the 2026 Nextier Development Festival (DevFest) in Abuja, Nigeria, on October 13-14, themed “Achieving Inclusive Prosperity in Nigeria.” The Festival brought together policymakers, researchers, development partners, and private sector actors to move from diagnosing the causes of persistent poverty to building the institutions and economies that can reduce it.

As part of the partnership, IPA hosted a Learning Lab, “Embedding Evidence in Government Delivery,” designed for policymakers, public institutions, development partners, and researchers. The Lab examined why governments that hold data and evidence often struggle to use them in decisions, and how an Embedded Evidence Lab, a team inside a government agency that IPA supports before handing over leadership, can help.

The session used the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Consumer Protection Embedded Evidence Lab as a case study. IPA staff and CBN representatives highlighted how the Lab has strengthened the Bank’s data systems, analytical capacity, and monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) processes. They also discussed how the Lab generates data and evidence to inform the Bank’s policy and programmatic decisions, contributing to several outcomes that have advanced consumer protection for users of financial services in Nigeria.

The session also provided practical insights and lessons on establishing, managing, and sustaining an embedded evidence lab within government institutions, including the opportunities and challenges associated with working within government structures.

IPA is committed to supporting government partners to strengthen their capacity to generate, analyze, and use data and evidence to inform decision-making and program design and implementation.