The Institute conducts independent, policyrelevant research, provides analysis and informs decisionmaking, with the aim of advancing research-based knowledge of contemporary Africa.

Denmark and Norway were also members of the original group of founding and funding partner countries, but they backed out in 2013 and 2015, respectively.

Administratively, the institute functions as a Swedish government agency that answers to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs.

The Nordic Africa Institute is part of AEGIS, a network of African Studies Centres in Europe, and organized its 4th international conference (ECAS) in 2011.

[2] On 18 July 2019, the Swedish government appointed Therése Sjömander Magnusson as new Director of NAI, a position which she took up on 1 October 2019.