Dr. Patrick Okwen Elected as Regional Chair for Central Africa on the Africa Evidence Network (AEN) Council of Chairs

eBASE Africa proudly celebrates the election of its Team Lead, Dr. Patrick Okwen, as the Regional Chair for Central Africa on the newly established Council of Chairs of the Africa Evidence Network (AEN). His election follows a rigorous nomination and voting process conducted across AEN’s membership, reflecting the trust and confidence placed in his leadership by the African evidence community.

Strengthening Evidence Leadership Across Africa

The Africa Evidence Network (AEN) is a vibrant, pan-African community open to all who live and work on the continent. It brings together individuals and institutions across all sectors, spheres, and types of evidence, from government and academia to civil society and communities, to strengthen evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM) across Africa.

The newly constituted Council of Chairs represents an important step in AEN’s growth, designed to enhance participatory governance, strategic leadership, and regional representation within the Network. The Council oversees AEN’s strategy, supports fundraising and advocacy, and ensures that Africa’s diverse regions and constituencies are equally represented in advancing EIDM across the continent.

Representing Central Africa’s Voice in the Evidence Ecosystem

Through this election, Dr. Okwen joins seven other Chairs representing Africa’s regions and constituencies, including West, East, Southern, and North Africa, as well as Youth Voices and the Global constituency.

As Regional Chair for Central Africa, he will champion collaboration among governments, researchers, and civil society across the sub-region, strengthening the systems and networks that enable the use of evidence in public decision-making.

“I am humbled by the confidence my peers have placed in me through this election,” said Dr. Patrick Okwen. “This moment is not only about individual leadership but about Central Africa’s growing role in shaping Africa’s evidence narrative. I look forward to working with fellow Chairs to advance a strong, inclusive, and context-driven evidence movement across the continent.”

A Decade of Impact and Innovation

Dr. Okwen’s election builds on his longstanding leadership in advancing evidence-informed practices through eBASE Africa (Effective Basic Services Africa), a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the effectiveness of basic services in health, education, and gender equality through innovation, contextualization, and collaboration.

Under his direction, eBASE Africa has led transformative initiatives such as the Tori Dey  approach (“The Coming of the Two Rivers”), and the Decrypt and Fix Model for addressing gender-based violence through community-centered evidence and systems strengthening, the We Attain program for improving educational attainment for children aged between 3 and 18 years in the Lake chad Bassin.

His new role amplifies eBASE Africa’s continued contribution to continental and global dialogues on how evidence can drive equitable and sustainable development.

About the Africa Evidence Network (AEN)

The Africa Evidence Network (AEN) is a pan-African platform connecting thousands of individuals and organizations working to promote evidence-informed decision-making (EIDM). It operates across all African countries and sectors, advocating for collaboration, capacity sharing, and policy influence grounded in evidence.

The Council of Chairs (2025–2027) represents AEN’s commitment to inclusive governance, comprising regional and constituency representatives elected by the Network’s members. Together, they guide AEN’s strategic direction and foster regional ownership of the evidence movement.