Our Founding Story
The FATE Research Institute was created from the thorough lack of data around entrepreneurship in Nigeria. Little to nothing existed to help people in this space and more so, to drive strategic decision-making by policymakers and other stakeholders. Given our legacy and impact on the Nigerian entrepreneurship ecosystem over two decades, we get asked a lot of questions covering all areas of entrepreneurship. This made us realise we didn’t have answers to some crucial questions that became frequently asked. We also didn’t have direct access to the right people who could give clarity on such questions. This was a consistent problem for us, which inspired the start of our journey into research and policy. Since starting in 2015, we have published 13 research papers. This has placed us at the forefront of entrepreneurship research and policy recommendations in Nigeria.
Our Research Approach
1.
Ecosystem-Driven Research
All projects begin by identifying the real and current questions facing entrepreneurs, policy actors, and support organizations. This ensures that research priorities are demand-led, not donor- or supply-driven.
2.
Opportunity-Driven Perspective
The Institute actively reframes challenges as opportunities for innovation. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, it analyzed not just the economic impacts but also the emergent digital entrepreneurship opportunities that arose in the informal sector.
3.
Data Collection and Stakeholder Engagement
A mix of quantitative and qualitative tools, surveys, interviews, and focused group discussions enables the Institute to collect context-rich, empirical data that captures Nigeria’s entrepreneurial diversity.
4.
Knowledge Dissemination
Findings are published in formats designed for accessibility and utility, research reports, policy briefs, white papers, infographics, and actionable insights, to support practical decision-making by entrepreneurs, policymakers, and investors.
5.