Book excerpt: This book explores the discourse on evaluation in Africa and answers these questions: What is the purpose of evaluation in the region, based on the evaluations currently being conducted? What is the professional background of evaluators in Africa? What methods are used in evaluations in the region? What is the status of evaluation capacity development in the region? How is the quality of evaluations being conducted in Africa? The book looks at the evaluation field in its entirety. It does not focus on practice, but includes considerations for the evaluation sector that apply to evaluation commissioners, programme beneficiaries, donors, capacity builders, and the entire constellation of stakeholders working on improving development practice. It hopes to promote a data?driven approach to the evaluation sector to help strengthen engagement and practice.