National Evaluation Capacity Readiness Assessment – Sierra Leone

Commissioned by UNICEF Sierra Leone and the National Monitoring and Evaluation Agency (NaMEA), Key Aid Consulting conducted the Sierra Leone National Evaluation Capacity Assessment (NECA) between October 2024 and March 2025. The assessment examined the extent to which the national evaluation system is equipped to support the implementation of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (2024–2030) and the Sustainable Development Goals. Using a mixed-method approach, the team undertook a desk review of 51 documents, , carried out 26 key informant interviews with representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners, academia and the private sector, and facilitated two consultative workshops in Freetown and Makeni that brought together 70 participants from central government, local councils, civil society, and academia. These methods enabled Key Aid Consulting to map the evaluative functions of ten ministries, assess institutional and individual capacities, and identify strengths and gaps across the evaluation ecosystem. Building on these findings, Key Aid Consulting produced the Sierra Leone NECA report, a costed National Evaluation Capacity Development Plan, and contributed to the finalization of the National Evaluation Guidelines.