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Introduction
As participants in the Plateau State University School of Postgraduate Studies Effective Altruism Fellowship, we recently read William MacAskill’s Doing Good Better. Like many people encountering Effective Altruism for the first time, we initially thought the book would simply encourage charitable giving. Instead, we discovered something much broader. It challenged us to rethink how we use our time, careers, skills, and resources to create the greatest possible impact.
Rather than asking, “Are we doing good?” MacAskill asks a more demanding question: “Are we doing the most good we can?”
For us, this question is particularly relevant in Nigeria, where the needs are enormous but the available resources are limited. In such a context, every decision carries an opportunity cost. The challenge is no longer whether we should help, but how we can help more effectively.
Three ideas from the book particularly shaped our reflections.
Insight One: Good Intentions Are Not Enough
One of the most compelling arguments in Doing Good Better is that good intentions alone do not guarantee meaningful impact. Compassion is important, but compassion without evidence can lead to wasted effort and misplaced priorities.
This challenged the way we often think about solving problems. Many interventions are celebrated because they are visible, emotionally appealing, or politically popular. Yet visibility does not necessarily translate into effectiveness.
This insight made us reflect on public policy in Nigeria. Every year, governments at different levels commission projects and announce new initiatives. Success is frequently measured by the amount of money spent or the number of projects completed rather than by the actual improvement in people’s lives.
Effective Altruism encourages us to ask a different question:
Which intervention produces the greatest positive impact for every naira invested?
This simple shift in thinking has profound implications for governments, development organizations, and even individuals seeking to make a difference.
Insight Two: Scarcity Requires Prioritization
One lesson we found particularly relevant is that resources are finite while human needs are almost limitless. Governments cannot fund every programme. Charities cannot address every social problem. Individuals cannot support every worthy cause.
Consequently, doing good also requires making difficult choices.
MacAskill introduces a framework that encourages us to prioritize problems based on their scale, how neglected they are, and whether meaningful progress can realistically be made.
Applying this framework to Nigeria raises important questions. Should limited public resources be directed primarily toward improving primary healthcare, reducing maternal mortality, strengthening basic education, addressing insecurity, or combating youth unemployment?
These are not easy questions. However, the book reminds us that refusing to prioritize is itself a decision—one that often comes at a significant human cost.
Insight Three: Everyone Can Contribute
Before reading this book, many of us associated doing good primarily with financial donations. MacAskill broadens that understanding by demonstrating that our careers, professional expertise, networks, and even our time can become powerful instruments for improving society.
This insight resonates strongly within our context.
A medical doctor serving rural communities contributes through healthcare.
A teacher contributes by improving learning outcomes.
A researcher contributes by generating evidence that informs policy.
An entrepreneur contributes by creating employment opportunities.
A public servant contributes by strengthening institutions and promoting accountability.
Even a student can contribute by volunteering, conducting meaningful research, or helping organizations solve real problems.
Effective Altruism reminds us that impact is not measured solely by how much we give, but by how effectively we use whatever resources we already possess.
Applying Effective Altruism to Nigeria
Reading this book prompted us to think differently about governance and development in Nigeria.
Our national conversations often focus on increasing budgets and attracting more funding. While additional resources are important, Doing Good Better suggests that an equally important question is whether existing resources are being allocated where they achieve the greatest impact.
For example, investments in preventive healthcare frequently save more lives per naira than expensive emergency interventions. Similarly, strengthening primary education may generate greater long-term benefits than funding projects with high political visibility but limited social returns.
This perspective has implications beyond philanthropy. It challenges policymakers, civil society organizations, researchers, entrepreneurs, and development practitioners to incorporate evidence, impact evaluation, and cost-effectiveness into decision-making.
Critiques and Open Questions
While we found the book intellectually stimulating, several questions emerged during our discussions.
First, Effective Altruism relies heavily on evidence. Yet in many low-income countries, reliable data remain scarce. If robust evidence is unavailable, how should governments and organizations determine which interventions deserve priority?
Second, the framework emphasizes measurable outcomes. However, many important social values—such as justice, public trust, democratic accountability, peacebuilding, and social cohesion—are difficult to quantify. How should these be incorporated into decisions about doing good?
Third, although the book focuses primarily on individual action, many of Africa’s most pressing challenges are institutional rather than individual. Weak governance, corruption, policy inconsistency, and limited state capacity often undermine otherwise effective interventions. Can Effective Altruism achieve its full potential without paying greater attention to institutional reform?
These questions do not weaken the framework. Instead, they present opportunities to adapt Effective Altruism to the realities of low-resource settings.
Conclusion
Reading Doing Good Better changed the way we think about impact.
The book is not merely an argument for generosity. It is a call to become more thoughtful, more strategic, and more evidence-driven in our efforts to improve the lives of others.
For countries like Nigeria, where needs consistently exceed available resources, this may be one of the most important conversations we can have. Every decision—whether made by governments, philanthropists, researchers, entrepreneurs, or ordinary citizens—has consequences. The challenge before us is not simply to do good, but to ensure that our efforts produce the greatest possible benefit for the greatest number of people.
Discussion Questions
1. How can the principles of Effective Altruism be adapted to low-income countries where reliable evidence is often limited?
2. Which neglected cause areas in Nigeria and Africa deserve greater attention from the Effective Altruism community?
3. Beyond charitable giving, what role should researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and public institutions play in advancing the principles of Effective Altruism?
4. Can evidence-based decision-making become a standard approach to public policy and development planning in Africa, and what barriers stand in the way?