occasional-paper-15-fr-527239a4a261d6b8.pdf

This research paper by Professor Okechukwu Ibeanu examines the relationship between think tanks and government funding, specifically focusing on whether financial dependence inhibits the ability of these institutions to critique public policy. Using Nigeria as a primary case study, the author analyzes the transition of think tanks from military to civilian rule and proposes a transactional framework to understand the variables that determine institutional independence.

• The author argues that the relationship between think tanks and governments is not uniform and should be analyzed through a transactional and diachronic approach that considers specific historical contexts rather than general theories of conflict or cooperation.
• During Nigeria's military regime, public think tanks suffered a significant decline due to funding cuts, political interference, nepotism in appointments, and a 'brain drain' of researchers moving abroad or to the private sector.
• Private think tanks in Nigeria became alternative knowledge centers during the military era, often funded by foreign donors who avoided corrupt government channels. However, this created a different dependency where donors were accused of imposing Western agendas or prioritizing their own interests over local needs.
• Following the return to civilian rule in 1999, foreign donors shifted funding from private think tanks back toward public institutions and universities, justifying this as a means to strengthen democratic state institutions.
• The author identifies six intermediate variables that determine whether a think tank remains objective despite receiving government funding: a history of independence, access to alternative funding sources, professionalism, quality of production, specialization in a specific niche, and whether the focus is technical rather than political.
• The paper classifies Nigerian think tanks into two main categories: public (including specialized scientific institutes, social research centers, training institutes, advisory bodies, and professional councils) and private (including NGO research centers, non-governmental academies, professional associations, private sector councils, and intellectual unions).

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (n.d.). occasional-paper-15-fr-527239a4a261d6b8.pdf. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/Occasional-Paper-15-FR.pdf

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. occasional-paper-15-fr-527239a4a261d6b8.pdf. n.d. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/Occasional-Paper-15-FR.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=occasional-paper-15-fr-527239a4a261d6b8.pdf |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/Occasional-Paper-15-FR.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairsndoccasionalpaper15fr527239a4a261d6b8pdf, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{occasional-paper-15-fr-527239a4a261d6b8.pdf}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/Occasional-Paper-15-FR.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }