African Policy Centre (APC)

What African Policy Centre (APC) does

African Policy Centre (APC) is a non-profit policy research and evaluation organization founded in 2014 and headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya at Corner House, Kimathi Street. It was established to provide policy alternatives and solutions to governance challenges confronting policymakers in Kenya and the broader East African region, addressing weak institutional workforce capacity and limited evidence-based policy options. The organization is led by founding president Awuor Ponge and governed by a board with regional representatives across Eastern, Western, Southern, Central, and Northern Africa.

APC's core offerings comprise two service lines: (1) independent policy research and analysis, and (2) monitoring and evaluation (M&E) services, underpinned by specialist methodologies — notably Outcome Harvesting and gender-responsive evaluation. Supporting offerings include corporate consultancy reports, peer-reviewed publications (books, journal articles, commissioned reports), professional membership services, conference/meeting organization, and capacity building/training programs. The underlying "technology" is methodological rather than digital, consisting of evaluation frameworks, outcome harvesting techniques, and gender-responsive approaches developed through practitioner experience.

The business model combines two revenue streams: subscription-based individual membership (KES 2,000 entrance fee plus KES 5,000 annual subscription) and project-based professional services fees from evaluation consultancies. Customers span government institutions (Government of Kenya, county governments, UN Women), international foundations (Gates, Mastercard, Rockefeller, Ford), bilateral donors (USAID), and civil society organizations across multiple African countries. Distribution is achieved through direct consultancy engagement, professional membership, international conference participation, and a pan-African regional representative network. Revenue is not publicly disclosed and there are no recorded funding rounds or external investors.

Name

African Policy Centre (APC)

Legal name

African Policy Centre (APC)

Website

https://africanpolicycentre.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

African Policy Centre (APC) is a Nairobi-based non-profit policy research and evaluation organization serving governments, NGOs, and foundations across East Africa through M&E consultancies, outcome harvesting, and policy analysis, with revenue from project fees and individual memberships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research and Development Consulting Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Public Administration (92)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAD

Civil Service & Public Administration (HR, Org Dev, Workforce Policy)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYHLAJAOAM

Global Health Research, Clinical Trials & Product Development Partnerships (PDPs)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health Initiatives & Partnerships

SECONDARYHLAJAOAL

Health Systems Strengthening & Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Partnerships

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Public Health, Government & Regulators/Global Health Initiatives & Partnerships

Keywords

• Policy research
• Monitoring evaluation
• Capacity building
• Governance advisory
• Development consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Nairobi

HQ country

Kenya

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership subscriptions providing access to online research facilities, publications, professional development events, networking opportunities, and career resources for development practitioners
2. Consultancy Services: Evaluation consultancies for various international organizations including African Population and Health Research Centre, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded projects, Equity Group Foundation, Aga Khan Foundation, and others. Services include baseline surveys, end-term evaluations, outcome harvesting, and capacity building

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

African Policy Centre (APC) is an independent policy research and evaluation organization that conducts policy analysis, designs and implements monitoring and evaluation (M&E) frameworks, and delivers capacity-building programs for government institutions, NGOs, and development partners operating in Africa. Its work centers on evidence-based governance advisory, learning systems, and institutional strengthening for the public and development sectors.

Product overview

African Policy Centre (APC) is a policy research and evaluation organization founded in 2014, offering a portfolio of services centered around independent policy research and analysis. The core offerings include Policy Research and Analysis Services and Monitoring and Evaluation Services, supplemented by professional membership services, publications (books, journal articles, reports), conference participation, and capacity building/training programs. The organization serves government institutions, civil society organizations, development partners, and the private sector across Kenya, East Africa, and the African continent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Policy Research Services Independent analytical research on governance, public policy, and development issues, producing reports, briefs, and advisories for government agencies, NGOs, and development partners.
• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Services Design and implementation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks, including indicator development, data collection, performance assessment, and learning systems for public-sector and development programs.
• Capacity Building and Training Programs Structured training, workshops, and institutional-strengthening engagements designed to build policy, research, and evaluation capabilities within government agencies, NGOs, and partner institutions.
• Governance Advisory Services Strategic advisory engagements supporting government and development stakeholders on governance reform, institutional design, and evidence-based policy implementation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100+ consultancy assignments completed since 2005 across multiple African countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Government of KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for policy research and monitoring and evaluation support. APC has conducted various assignments for national and county governments including policy analysis and institutional capacity assessments.
• County GovernmentscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with county governments in Kenya for policy research, monitoring and evaluation support, and capacity building initiatives.
• African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC served as Outcome Harvesting Consultant for the Evaluation Consultancy for APHRC's Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA) Program (June-October 2019).
• Equity Group FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC served as Senior Gender Consultant and Kenya Country Lead for evaluation of the Wings to Fly Education Scholarship Program implemented by Equity Group Foundation and funded by Mastercard Foundation.
• Aga Khan Foundation Eastern AfricacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC provided Outcome Harvesting Training and conducted evaluation for the Strengthening Civil Society Initiative (SCSI) Sub-Project on Citizens' Voice in Devolution in Kwale County (April-June 2016).
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC conducted Final Evaluation of the Gender and Governance Programme (GGP III) in Kenya (September-December 2013) funded by UN Women.
• CARE DenmarkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC served as Senior Gender Consultant for Final Evaluation of the Adaptation Learning Programme (2015-2017) on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change in Ghana, Kenya and Niger.
• Women Empowerment Link (WEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC conducted End Term Evaluation and Post Implementation Review of the Inclusive Leadership Project implemented by WEL and funded by Bread for the World.
• Islamic Relief KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC conducted Baseline Survey on Child Protection Needs in Korogocho Informal Settlement jointly coordinated with Islamic Relief Kenya and Youth Initiatives-Kenya.
• World Vision KenyacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC conducted End of Project Evaluation of Improving Governance of Decentralised Funds in Kenya project coordinated with World Vision Kenya.
• Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC partners with civil society organizations for policy research, advocacy, and capacity building initiatives across East Africa.
• Development PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAPC works with various development partners including international agencies and donor organizations for research, evaluation, and policy analysis projects.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Itad: International development consultancy specializing in monitoring, evaluation and learning for donors and governments, with strong Africa portfolio. Direct overlap with APC's evaluation, outcome-harvesting and gender-responsive MEL services, but operates globally with much larger teams.
• Oxford Policy Management: Large UK-headquartered international development consultancy providing monitoring, evaluation and policy advice to governments and multilaterals across Africa and Asia. Competes with APC for the same donor evaluation tenders but at materially greater scale.
• Brookings Africa Growth Initiative: Brookings Institution's Africa-focused policy research program producing governance and economic-policy analysis across the continent. Comparable to APC as a producer of evidence-based Africa policy research, though at significantly larger institutional scale.
• Overseas Development Institute (ODI): Long-established UK-based global affairs think tank with significant Africa-focused policy research, evaluation and advisory work. Comparable to APC as a development-policy think tank, but operates at much larger scale and global footprint with a broader research portfolio.
• African Evaluation Association (AfrEA): Continental membership association for evaluation professionals in Africa, of which APC's leadership (e.g., the President of the 2014 AfrEA Conference) is part. Comparable as a hub connecting African evaluation practitioners, though structured as a professional association rather than a consultancy.

Direct peers

• IDInsight: Global advisory, research and evaluation firm specializing in monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) for social-sector programs in Africa and Asia. Closely comparable to APC in offering outcome-harvesting-style rigorous evaluations to Gates, foundations and governments.
• African Population and Health Research Centre (APHRC): Pan-African research and policy center based in Nairobi conducting population, health and education research across the continent. Directly comparable to APC as an Africa-focused policy/research organization serving similar development-funder clients with evaluation and evidence-generation mandates.
• Institute of Policy Analysis and Research (IPAR-Rwanda): Kigali-based independent research think tank producing policy analysis and evaluation on governance, economic and social policy in Rwanda and the East African region. Closely mirrors APC's mission of evidence-based policy research for East African policymakers.

Regional players

• The Pacific Institute Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe-based policy research and evaluation consultancy, led by APC's own Southern Africa Regional Representative Adeline Sibanda. Highly comparable as an African evaluation and policy-research firm, though geographically focused on Southern Africa.
• Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR): South Africa-based policy research organization conducting research, evaluation and advocacy on governance and social issues across Southern Africa. Comparable in profile and mission to APC but operating primarily in Southern Africa rather than East Africa.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/APCPolicy
• Facebookfacebook.com/africanpolicycentre
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/africanpolicycentre

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about African Policy Centre (APC)