EOI: Consultancy for Evidence Generation on Breaking the Debt–Climate Trap in Nigeria

ORGANIZATION AND ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND

ActionAid Nigeria is part of a global alliance working to achieve a world without poverty and injustice through community-led development and partnerships with poor and excluded people and grassroots organizations.

Nigeria faces a reinforcing debt–climate challenge: high debt-servicing costs reduce public resources available for climate action, while flooding, desertification, coastal erosion and energy insecurity increase economic losses and fiscal pressure. ActionAid Nigeria is commissioning evidence to support policy reform, advocacy and informed public dialogue concerning debt justice and climate justice.

ASSIGNMENT PURPOSE

The consultant will conduct an in-depth analysis of the relationship between Nigeria’s public debt, fiscal space, climate-finance gaps and climate-investment needs. The work will produce policy-relevant evidence and practical recommendations supporting debt relief, climate justice and sustainable development financing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Review relevant project, policy, fiscal, debt-management and climate-finance documents.
• Develop a detailed mixed-methods research methodology in consultation with ActionAid.
• Conduct quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis.
• Undertake key-informant interviews and focus-group discussions with appropriate stakeholders.
• Analyse how debt-servicing obligations affect public investment in climate adaptation and mitigation.
• Examine climate-finance flows and their implications for debt sustainability.
• Assess public financial management, fiscal policy, climate-governance and sustainable-financing issues.
• Engage government institutions, policymakers, development partners, civil society, academia, financial institutions and community stakeholders.
• Produce a technical report, policy briefs and advocacy products.
• Prepare accessible communication products, human stories and case studies.
• Present findings for stakeholder validation.
• Incorporate rights-based, gender-responsive and climate-justice approaches throughout the assignment.

DELIVERABLES

• In-depth analysis explaining how Nigeria’s debt obligations constrain climate investment.
• Technical report concerning climate-finance flows and debt implications.
• Policy briefs on the debt–climate nexus.
• Advocacy paper on debt relief and climate-justice integration.
• PowerPoint presentation for stakeholder validation.
• Two-page evidence summary.
• Human stories or case studies.
• Nigeria Debt Audit Snapshot Report.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Advanced university degree; a master’s degree or PhD is preferred.
• Relevant disciplines include Economics, Public Finance, Climate Change, Environmental Policy, Public Policy, Political Economy, International Development or a related field.
• Additional training in climate finance, fiscal policy, debt management or sustainable development is an advantage.
• At least ten years of demonstrated policy or applied-research experience in public finance, debt management, climate change, climate finance, development economics or a related field.
• Experience conducting political-economy analysis, policy analysis and institutional assessments.
• Strong understanding of Nigeria’s public financial-management systems, fiscal-policy processes and macroeconomic environment.
• Experience producing research reports, policy briefs and evidence on debt sustainability, climate finance, fiscal governance, sustainable development or environmental economics.
• Experience with international NGOs, multilateral institutions or donor-funded programmes is an advantage.
• Previous debt–climate research in Nigeria, Africa or another developing-country context is desirable.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Mixed-methods research and triangulation.
• Public-debt and debt-sustainability analysis.
• Climate-finance and climate-governance analysis.
• Fiscal-policy, public-expenditure and budget analysis.
• Policy writing and stakeholder engagement.
• Rights-based, gender-responsive and climate-justice approaches.
• Strong analytical, communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to produce accessible evidence products for advocacy.

CONTRACT DETAILS

• Engagement type: Individual or organizational consultancy.
• Duration: Thirty days, including consultation, drafting, validation and final submission.
• Location: Nigeria. Specific duty city and travel requirements: Not specified.
• Contract value and payment schedule: Not specified.
• Deadline: 18 August 2026.

SAFEGUARDING AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Women are encouraged to apply. The consultant must use rights-based and gender-responsive approaches when engaging stakeholders. Additional assignment-specific safeguarding and background-check requirements: Not specified.

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS

This is an email application. There is no online application form.

Applicants must combine their proposed approach, evidence of previous relevant work, financial budget and profile or CV in one Microsoft Word document.

Organizations or firms must also provide a company profile, CAC registration, tax-clearance certificate, evidence of previous assignments and audited accounts for at least 2025.

Applications must be sent to procurement.nigeria@actionaid.org using the title: Consultancy – Evidence Generation on Breaking the Debt-Climate Trap in Nigeria.

The deadline is 18 August 2026. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.