Policy Innovation Centre

What Policy Innovation Centre does

Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is a non-profit policy research and capacity-building organisation founded in 2021 as an initiative of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) and positioned as Africa's first national-level institutionalised behavioural science initiative. PIC applies behavioural insights, design thinking, and rigorous evidence-based methods including Randomised Controlled Trials, qualitative research, Human-Centred Design, and AI-Augmented Design Thinking to strengthen public policy design and implementation across Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. Its core platform is organised into thematic units: the Behavioural Innovation Lab (BIL), Social and Behavioural Science Research (SBSR) Unit, Gender Foyer, Policy Design Unit, and Fluxx Lab, supplemented by programmes such as the BiNTA Fellowship (30 anti-corruption fellows per year), the annual Gender and Inclusion Summit, and The Purple Book policy publication, plus a Learning Management System (binigeria.com) launched in 2024.

PIC's primary customers are government institutions (federal ministries such as Communications and Digital Economy; state governments in Lagos, Edo, Katsina), international development partners (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, FCDO, Ford Foundation, Open Society Initiative for West Africa, Luminate), and civil society organisations. Revenue is generated almost entirely through grant funding and professional-services technical assistance contracts, with most outputs (the Purple Book, training courses, BIL LMS content) offered free of charge to end participants. The organisation operates from four offices across Nigeria (Abuja HQ, Lagos, Kano, Benin City) and runs projects spanning gender equality, anti-corruption, digital transformation, agriculture, health, and governance.

Name

Policy Innovation Centre

Legal name

Policy Innovation Center

Website

https://policycentre.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2021

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Policy Innovation Centre is a Nigeria-based non-profit think-do tank and the first national-level institutionalised behavioural science initiative in sub-Saharan Africa, applying behavioural insights, RCTs, and design thinking to strengthen public policy for governments, donors, and civil society across sectors including gender, anti-corruption, digital transformation, and health.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Policy Research Services

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF), Digital Development & ICT4D / GovTech Technical Assistance (BPADAEAL), Science, Technology & Innovation Administration (National R&D Policy) (BPAIAAAK), Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Global Health (HLAJAOAD), Public Health Strategy, Policy & Legislation (HLAJAMAA)

Keywords

• Policy research services
• Behavioural insights consulting
• Gender equality programs
• Evidence-based policy
• Capacity building training

Headquarters

HQ city

Abuja

HQ country

Nigeria

HQ region

Africa

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Development Funding: PIC's primary revenue model is grant funding from international foundations and development organizations. Major funders include the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (women's health advocacy, Edo digital policy, VYAS, Nigeria Gender Norm Research), MacArthur Foundation (BiNTA Fellowship, Harnessing Behavioural Insight for Transparency), FCDO (Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Transformation), Ford Foundation (GBV prevention, Nigeria AI Collective), and Open Society Initiative for West Africa (pre/post-election agenda).
2. Government Contracts and Technical Assistance: PIC generates revenue through fee-for-service technical assistance engagements with government ministries, departments, and agencies. Examples include providing technical support to Lagos State government for the Women Economic Empowerment Policy Implementation Roadmap, Edo State government for digital policy development, and National Population Commission for household listing. These engagements involve policy analysis, programme design, and capacity building.
3. Capacity Building and Training Programmes: PIC delivers fee-based capacity-building programmes including the Certificate Course in Gender and Development, Gender for Private Sector Development Course (GPDC), Gender and Taxation Course, and Behavioural Insights for Anti-Corruption e-course. These are offered as structured training programmes to build participants' capacity on gender and behavioural insights application.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is a non-profit policy think-do tank that applies behavioural insights, design thinking, and evidence-based research methods to strengthen the design and delivery of public policy and social development programmes. Core offerings include policy research and advocacy, technical assistance to government ministries and state governments, capacity-building courses and fellowships, behavioural innovation services, and multi-stakeholder convenings through summits, publications, and learning platforms.

Product overview

Policy Innovation Centre (PIC) is Africa's first national-level behavioural initiative that operates as a platform-plus-units organization. The core offerings include the Behavioural Innovation Lab (BIL) for behaviorally-informed interventions, the Gender Foyer for gender equality programs, the Social Behavioural Science Research (SBSR) Unit, and the Policy Design Unit. Supporting programs include the BiNTA Fellowship for anti-corruption changemakers, Fluxx Lab for human-centred design innovation, the Gender and Inclusion Summit as an annual event platform, The Purple Book as a policy publication, and a Learning Management System for anti-corruption training. Research initiatives include the Very Young Adolescents Survey (VYAS) and Nigeria AI Collective.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Behavioural Innovation Lab (BIL): The innovation engine of PIC that hosts behavioral insight activities, applying human-centered design and behavioral science to policy challenges.
• Gender Foyer
• SBSR Unit
• Policy Design Unit
• Fluxx Lab
• BiNTA Fellowship
• Nigeria AI Collective
• Gender & Inclusion Summit
• The Purple Book

Products and services

• Behavioural Innovation Lab (BIL) The BIL applies behavioural insights to strengthen policy design and implementation across sectors in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa. It develops behaviourally-informed interventions, conducts RCTs, and delivers training through a dedicated Learning Management System. Audience: government ministries, development partners, and policy researchers.
• BiNTA Fellowship (Behavioural Insights Network for Transparency and Accountability) A behavioural reengineering initiative supporting 30 fellows annually through training, coaching, mentoring, and financial support to conceptualize, design, and execute behaviourally-informed anti-corruption strategies in Nigeria. Audience: anti-corruption practitioners, researchers, and changemakers.
• Social and Behavioural Science Research (SBSR) Unit Conducts social and behavioural science research using cutting-edge methods including RCTs, experimentations, and qualitative approaches. Examines behavioural patterns to explain social phenomena and inform policy and decision-making with evidence. Audience: government policymakers, development partners, and academic researchers.
• Gender Foyer Hosts PIC's gender equality and social inclusion programmes, providing a platform for gender systems strengthening and gender-transformative programming. Audience: gender practitioners, government gender focal points, and civil society organizations.
• Policy Design Unit Hosts all policy-related activities, supporting evidence-based policy formulation, design, and implementation. Audience: government ministries, departments, and agencies across Nigeria.
• Fluxx Lab The creative engine of PIC applying Human-Centred Design (HCD) for better policies and programme interventions. Uses AI-Augmented Design Thinking, speculative design, gamification, co-creation, and rapid prototyping methodologies. Audience: government and development partners seeking innovative policy design.
• Gender and Inclusion Summit Africa's largest platform for advancing gender equality and social inclusion, convened annually since 2022. Serves as a multi-stakeholder convening bringing together public, private, and development practitioners. Audience: policymakers, practitioners, activists, and gender equality advocates.
• Behavioural Insights for Anti-Corruption Learning Management System (BIL LMS) First Behavioural Insights for Anti-corruption online learning platform in Nigeria, providing real-time learning across 4 modules and 50 videos covering behavioural insights fundamentals, corruption, transparency and accountability, monitoring and evaluation, and ethics and integrity. Audience: anti-corruption practitioners and the Behavioural Insights Network community.
• Very Young Adolescents Survey (VYAS) A survey examining gender norms, sexual and reproductive health, child marriage, HPV vaccination, and women's economic empowerment among adolescents aged 10-14 in Nigeria. Audience: government, researchers, and development partners working on adolescent health and gender.
• Certificate Course in Gender and Development A flagship capacity-building programme designed to build participants' skills on gender and its multi-faceted application to development. Audience: development professionals, researchers, and government officials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150+ stakeholders engaged in women's health advocacy scoping across Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, and national level
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021NESG is the parent organization of the Policy Innovation Centre. PIC is an initiative of NESG and operates as a specialized policy centre within the NESG institutional framework. NESG's CEO, Laoye Jaiyeola, provides oversight and strategic direction for PIC, and PIC's work is aligned with NESG's policy agenda including the Digital Economy Policy Commission (DEPC).
• Albright Stonebridge GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC collaborates with Albright Stonebridge Group alongside the Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation on women's economic empowerment in agriculture. The partnership addresses systemic barriers and promotes inclusive growth for women in the agricultural sector.
• Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty AlleviationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC provides technical support to the Lagos State government for the development and domestication of the Women Economic Empowerment Policy Implementation Roadmap. The partnership enhances the state's commitment to gender-responsive governance and increases female participation in agriculture.
• Corruption, Justice and Legitimacy Program (CJL) at Besa GlobalmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCJ L at Besa Global partners with PIC on the 'Intersectional Approach to Social Norms that Drive Corruption' project. CJL provides project funding and substantive expertise while PIC leads research and intervention design exploring how gender and faith norms intersect with corruption-driving behaviours in Nigeria's health sector.
• HACEY Health InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHACEY Health Initiative co-supported the 'Centering the Focus on Girls for Equitable Economic Inclusion' session at the Gender and Inclusion Summit 2024 (GS-24), contributing to discussions on digital inclusion and economic empowerment for girls.
• Data Science NigeriacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerData Science Nigeria is a key partner in leading the Nigeria AI Collective. As part of the leadership consortium (along with Lagos Business School and Centre for Journalism, Innovation & Development), DSN contributes to ethical AI governance, innovation, and capacity building for responsible AI adoption in Nigeria.
• Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLagos Business School is a co-leader of the Nigeria AI Collective and previously collaborated with PIC on the Behavioural Economics for Financial Product Design project, embedding behavioural economics methods into the DFS product innovation laboratory of the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Financial Services initiative.
• Centre for Journalism, Innovation & DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCentre for Journalism, Innovation & Development is a co-leader of the Nigeria AI Collective, contributing expertise in journalism, media literacy, and responsible AI governance in Nigeria's media ecosystem.
• Lagos Business School (DFS Product Design)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC's BIL supported the Sustainable and Inclusive Digital Financial Services (SIDFS) initiative at Lagos Business School to embed behavioural economics methods into the prototype stage of DFS product development, facilitating delivery of financial products that meet consumer needs.
• Michigan State University, USAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC co-implements the Policy Support for Economic Growth (PSEG) project in partnership with Michigan State University. PSEG aims to improve the enabling environment for inclusive and sustainable agriculture-led economic growth in Nigeria by enhancing capacity for evidence-based policy formulation.
• Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (JPAL)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPIC's SBSR Unit collaborates with JPAL to implement a process evaluation of the ongoing randomized control trial of the Life Skills component under the AGILE programme in Katsina State. The evaluation aims to understand fidelity of implementation models and document challenges.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• ID Insight: Global advisory, research, and analytics organisation that helps leaders use rigorous evidence to improve social programmes, with deep presence in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. Comparable size and mission to PIC, with overlapping methodology and funder base, particularly in applying RCTs and behavioural science to development outcomes.
• Busara Center for Behavioral Economics: Kenya-based behavioural science organisation applying rigorous research methods (including RCTs) to poverty and development challenges across Africa. Most directly comparable peer to PIC given shared African geographic focus, similar methodology, similar funder profile (Gates, FCDO, etc.), and similar niche positioning in behavioural insights for development.
• J-PAL Africa (Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab): Africa regional office of J-PAL, which uses randomised evaluations to test anti-poverty programmes. PIC is an active J-PAL partner (AGILE process evaluation in Katsina), and J-PAL's rigorous RCT-driven development research is closely aligned with PIC's evidence-based methodology.

Broad incumbents

• The Behavioural Insights Team (BIT): The original global "nudge unit" founded in the UK Cabinet Office, now operating commercially as a social-purpose consultancy applying behavioural science to government policy worldwide. PIC explicitly models itself on the BIT/nudge-unit framework, making BIT the institutional archetype and a much larger established incumbent in PIC's exact category.
• ideas42: US-based non-profit that designs, tests, and scales behavioural science interventions to address social issues. Highly comparable mission and methodology to PIC, but operating at materially larger scale and with longer institutional track record across global development programmes.
• World Bank Mind, Behavior, and Development Unit (eMBeD): World Bank unit applying behavioural science to design and test anti-poverty interventions in developing countries. Direct methodological overlap with PIC, but operates at global scale as part of a multilateral institution rather than as an independent national entity.
• Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA): Global research and policy non-profit using rigorous evidence (RCTs) to identify what works in development. Shares PIC's RCT-driven methodology and J-PAL-style rigour, but at vastly larger scale across dozens of countries and with broader thematic portfolio.

Regional players

• National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS): Nigeria's premier policy think tank providing strategic policy advice to federal and state governments. Operates in the same Nigerian policy-research space as PIC, but with a broader, more government-embedded mandate (rather than PIC's behavioural-science specialisation).
• Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER): Statutory Nigerian policy research institute conducting socio-economic research to inform federal and state policy. Comparable as a Nigerian policy research organisation serving government counterparts, though focused on socio-economic rather than behavioural-science research.
• Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA): Africa-focused economic policy think tank producing research and policy analysis on African economic development. Comparable as a regional African policy research institute serving government and development stakeholders, though without PIC's behavioural-science specialisation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/policycentreng
• Facebookfacebook.com/policycentreng
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/policycentreng
• Instagraminstagram.com/policycentreng

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Policy Innovation Centre