A range of factors explains why gaps exist in knowledge, information and data (Geijzendorffer et al., 2016; Meyer et al., 2015). In the Africa assessment, data and knowledge gaps are particularly critical due to the considerable size of the informal economy and the weak statistical basis in a number of countries. A few years ago, the World Bank's chief economist for Africa referred to this as "Africa's statistical tragedy" (Devajaran, 2013). [...] The knowledge gaps will then help to inform strategic planning of future research activities, including identifying appropriate funding mechanisms and support programmes. From a long-term perspective, an important product of the assessment would be the establishment of an Africa region research agenda that clearly articulates gaps and set priorities for addressing them. This would allow governments, in linkage with the IPBES platform and the wider scientific community to strategically decide where to put more efforts to generate the knowledge base needed for evidence-based development policies fully integrating nature’s beneficial contributions to society.