The IMANI Centre for Policy & Education leads the pack in Ghana as the most influential and impactful think tank, the Lauder Institute of the University of Pennsylvania, US, has ranked.

It also ranked IMANI as the third topmost think tank in sub-Saharan Africa in its latest Global Go-To Think Tank Index (GGTTI).

Published in January 2019 after having assessed over 8,000 think tanks worldwide, only three Ghanaian think tanks were ranked among the first 200 worldwide.

IMANI was ranked 72 in the Top Think Tanks Worldwide (Non-U.S.) category and 133 in the Top Think Tanks Worldwide (U.S. and non-U.S.).

For area-specific categories, IMANI was again ranked 59 worldwide while the IEA was placed 125 worldwide for Top Domestic Economic Policy Think Tanks.

Additionally, IMANI was placed 57th under Top Education Policy Think Tanks worldwide.

On the other hand, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) placed 77 in the Top Think Tanks Worldwide (Non-U.S.) category while the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) placed 171 in the Top Think Tanks Worldwide (U.S. and non-U.S.) category.

GGTTI is the most prestigious Think Tank rating system in the world and published annually by James G. McGann, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Nine Ghanaian think tanks made the final 100 top Think Tanks in sub-Saharan Africa for active roles in directing policy and governance in Ghana.

Apart from IMANI, the other high ranking think thanks under the Top Think Tanks in sub-Saharan Africa category include the African Centre for Economic Transformation (ACET), 4th; Institute for Economic Affairs, 17th; Institute for Development Studies (IDS), 34th; ISSER, 35th; Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), 70th; Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD), 74th; Centre for Economic Transformation (CET), 86 and the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS),96th.

The think tanks were reported to have excelled in research, analysis, and public engagement on a wide range of policy issues with the aim of advancing debate, facilitating cooperation between relevant actors, maintaining public support and funding, and improving the overall quality of life in Ghana.

Under specific areas of operation, the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) was the only Think Tank in Ghana ranked 72 worldwide under Defence and National Security.

For Top Foreign Policy and International Affairs Think Tanks, the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre placed 84 while CDD ranked 100th across the globe.

Again, CDD was ranked 63rd for Top Social Policy Think Tanks and 60th for Top Transparency and Good Governance Think Tanks worldwide.