Call for Consultants: Oxfam’s Study on Inequality in Selected States in Nigeria 221 views0 applications

Terms of Reference for Oxfam in Nigeria’’s Study on Inequality in the Selected States in the North East, North Central, South-south and southwest Geo–political Zones in Nigeria

1.0. Oxfam in Nigeria:
Oxfam is an international confederation of 17 organizations (affiliates) networked together in 94 countries, as part of a global movement for change. Oxfam’s vision is a just world without poverty: a world in which people can influence decisions that affect their lives, enjoy their rights, and assume their responsibilities as full citizens of a world, in which all human beings are valued and treated equally. Realizing this vision means overcoming huge and complex challenges in an ever-more volatile world. We have a conviction that people are well capable of building a livelihood without poverty on their own, once given the chance to do so. This is why we support local projects in developing countries, why we lobby governments and Private Sector companies to take into account the interests of the poorest people and why we campaign to involve men and women also in our work. We work together with other Oxfam affiliates and local partner organizations to increase the impact on development issues. In Nigeria Oxfam works with civil society partner organizations in the areas of Economic Justice/Livelihood, Basic Social Services, Humanitarian programming, Gender Justice / Female Leadership and Good Governance, adopting a rights-based approach.

2.0. Oxfam and Inequality
Generally, inequality is a manifestation of the pattern of resource distribution within a country. It reflects the pattern of access to decision-making spaces, wealth accumulation, assets, income or general resource distribution, etc. but it also looks at the differences in gender, race, power, etc. Inequality can manifest in different forms such as political, economic and gender.
The political dimension of inequality has its root in money, power and influence driven by the rich1 and sustained by political corruption that manipulates the democratic process through powerful players, internal and external, to the political system with the intention to capture the state apparatus for their own benefits2. This results in governance processes that serve the interest of a few and is a distortion of democracy.
The economic aspect of inequality looks at the skewed distribution of income, resources and privileges within and across nation-states. At its extreme level, economic inequalities are harmful to economic growth and poverty reduction and can induce social unrest.
The gender dimension of inequality manifests in the underrepresentation of women in public decision-making spaces, access to paid employment, high rate of maternal deaths amongst other indices. Nigeria is rated poorly on the Gender-Related Development Index especially in access to education, household decision making and political representation, with vast geographical disparities. There are 7 female senators out of 109 males (6.4% of total), and only 11 parliamentary representatives (3.1%) were elected in 2019, this is below the African average of 19%. Also, more than two-thirds of girls 15 to 19 years old in northern Nigeria are illiterate compared to less than 10% in the south3.
In Nigeria, between 1986 and 2017, a 75% increase in the concentration of wealth was seen. The richest 10% have become richer, while the poorest 46% have seen their incomes fall4. Although elements of economic inequality are important to drive growth and progress that will reward those with talent, rare skills, and induce the passion to innovate and take entrepreneurial risks5, extreme economic inequality is morally wrong.

2.0. Description of the Assignment:
2.1. Global Purpose:
Why is this study commissioned, and why now?
Recognizing the importance of inequality in all its work on poverty eradication and social justice, Oxfam is embarking on a period of campaigning on economic inequality within countries. Oxfam’s Inequality Campaign, and the global campaign report, was launched on October 30th, 2014. The campaign is to run through to the end of the OI Strategic Plan in 2019. As such, a country inequality briefing has also been planned for Nigeria to detail the national level inequality dynamics and how the main arguments and evidence presented in the global report apply to Nigeria. The Nigeria report was launched in 2017, the global commitment to reducing inequality report launched in 2018 and a West Africa Regional Index presented to the public in 2019. These followed with a series of advocacies and lessons learned in the campaign to also pay attention to inequality at the sub-national level as well, considering the various dimensions of the menace, in order to present policy options to sub-national government, stakeholders and civil society actors to make effort to bridging the gap.

2.2. Linking Nigeria with the Global Campaign Proposition:
What is the global campaign report’s core argument and policy recommendation(s)? What impact will this have on poverty in Nigeria, especially at the sub-national level (selected states)?
Economic inequality – the gap between the rich and poor, and the trend of increased concentration of wealth & income at the top – is out of control and self-perpetuating. It is inextricably linked to inequality of power.
Inequality is a political issue and is as much about who is abusing their ability to write the rules in their favour (rich elites and multinationals) as about those whose interests are neglected even as they are locked out of decision-making (citizens, women, marginalized groups). The rights of the many cannot be trampled by market fundamentalism, political manipulation by the elite and endless pursuit of wealth and profit.
The political systems and institutions that should represent citizens and keep inequality in check are being undermined by gross inequality. Institutions and the rules of the game have been captured by rich elites creating a cycle of growing inequality & poverty, and undermining opportunity and fuelling democratic bankruptcy. Meanwhile, citizens are excluded and oppressed in Nigeria. Extreme economic inequality, gender inequality, and other social inequalities create traps of disadvantage for the many.
But extreme inequality and these traps of disadvantage are not inevitable. Deliberate policy interventions and political commitments, along with space and support for civil society and citizens to challenge unfair systems that do not represent their interests can put a stop to extreme inequality.
Fairer policies can break the cycle of inequality: including the right policies on tax, public expenditure, public service provision, redistribution of productive assets, work and wages, and additional policies targeting gender inequality. The heart of this matter is whether the next generation of policy-making will be about redistribution or whether governments and policymakers will tip us irrevocably into a world that only caters to the privileged. There is much to learn from pockets of success and protests about how to create the political conditions that will put the interests of the 99% firmly back at the heart of policymaking. And now is the time to bring this together with a progressive agenda for redistribution and a fairer world.

2.3. Rationale for the Study on Inequality in Nigeria
Over the years, there has been appreciable economic progress in Nigeria with an annual growth rate of 2-6% due largely to increases in economic activities and laudable efforts in diversifying the economy away from oil.
Despite this trend in the economy whereby Nigeria per capita is now $2, 600, poverty levels remain high at over 46% of the population, with the number of people living in absolute poverty hitting 102million out of a population of over 200 million people. Nationally, unemployment is at a staggering rate of 23% youth unemployment is at 54%6. This implies that the Nigerian growth model is not inclusive and that if Nigeria is to eradicate poverty and injustice, it must address how economic resources and associated power is distributed within the country. Achieving inclusive and equitable growth means that concrete steps must be taken to reduce the high rate of inequality, which is widening due to corrupt practices embedded in all facets of the economy, poor service delivery, fiscal injustice, discrimination against women amongst other factors etc. this study is being commissioned to, in addition to the global, WAF regional and the Nigeria national reports fully highlight the Nigerian context and dimensions of inequality for policy options and deliberate effort to ending it.

2.4. Overall Objective of the Study
The overall objective of the study is to derive the evidence needed for a successful campaign against inequality towards poverty reduction in Nigeria.

2.4.1 Specific Objective
The specific objectives of the inequality study are to enable Oxfam in Nigeria:
• Understand the existing socio-cultural, economic and political factors and conditions driving poverty and inequality in Nigeria especially at the sub-national level.
• Identify key strategic actions and actors needed to galvanize citizens and policymakers against inequality and set the terms for a debate on inequality in selected states in Nigeria,
• Provide evidence that can form the basis for developing a road map for an inequality campaign for Oxfam in Nigeria, partners and allies linking local issues nationally, regionally and to the Oxfam global campaign.
2.4. Audience:
To whom is the report of the study targeted? Who are we trying to influence? What kind of tone/style will the paper adopt?
There are two categories of audience namely, Primary audience which includes: Policy-makers, allies and partners, informed media, and other influentials (think-tanks, intellectuals, development professionals) who could help to champion the solutions and the urgency to act on inequality. The Secondary audience includes campaigners working in and on target countries and institutions, researchers and academics working on inequality, fiscal justice and other associated issues?

2.5. Scope of the Study
The planned study will focus on selected states in southern and northern Nigeria, two states each in North Central and the North East and South-South and the South West. However, it is also expected to reflect on the inter-related issues at the three tiers of government. The scope of the conversation envisaged is aimed at establishing the following:

a. The scale and depth of economic inequality in these states and regions in Nigeria, using existing empirical data and analysis and its relationship with poverty dynamics and outcomes of citizens.
b. The existing socio-cultural, economic and political factors and conditions driving inequality in these states and regions in Nigeria, including gender.
c. Focus on how corruption, political capture and cost of governance can drive inequality in these states and regions in Nigeria and generate solid evidence to support the argument examining amongst others the challenges posed by corruption, cost of democratic governance at the three tiers of government as well as the pension laws passed in the recent past in affected states across the 6 geopolitical zones.
d. Be able to make recommendations that set out the vision of political and policy changes needed to enable various actors to challenge decision-makers and mobilize action to address inequality.

4.0 Methodology
Two Consultants will be engaged for the study. They will be expected to develop and submit a concept note which details the methodology and timetable proposed for the study. This will be reviewed and approved by Oxfam in Nigeria together with the WAF inequality team prior to the commencement of the study.

5.0. Expected Services
The Consultant will be expected to:
a. Develop an outline and methodology for the study and share same with Oxfam’s management for review and approval prior to its commencement.
b. Use empirical data as evidence of economic inequality trends in Nigeria and how this relates to poverty dynamics and other development and wellbeing outcomes for the population of Nigeria.
c. Provide a comprehensive PEST analysis of the socio-cultural, economic and political factors driving and sustaining inequality in Nigeria.
d. Focus on political institutions, political capture and undue influence of those at the top of the distribution – Undertake a power and stakeholder mapping of relevant actors perpetuating inequality in Nigeria and gather evidence of undue influence and capture. In this regard, also identify national and state-level MDAs as well as private actors that sustain issues of inequality in Nigeria.
e. Identify possible remedies to high and rising economic inequality in Nigeria and based on findings recommend policies and actions to be taken in the Nigerian context.
f. Prepare a comprehensive report of the study in accordance with the specifications in 2.5, clearly detailing in the report the observed inequality trends in Nigeria, untapped potentials and suggestions for improvement.
g. Submit a USB drive containing a soft-copy of the report and submit the same to Oxfam’s management on a date that will be agreed by the WAF and Nigeria team. Thereafter, the reports shall be shared with stakeholders
h. Present the report to Oxfam Nigeria and other local partners and stakeholders through facilitating a discussion/workshop on the next steps for Oxfam’s campaign on inequality

6.0. Expert’s Profile
A university degree in Economic or Social sciences, Communication, Journalism, Development or any other related fields. A Master’s Degree and a PhD are desirable.
a. At least five years’ experience in a research development field.
b. A solid background in Investigative Journalism or data collection/investigation.
c. Very good research skills – data collection, mining and analysis.
d. Versatile knowledge of socio-political terrains of Nigeria and the associated development challenges.
e. Good analytical and communication skills – written and spoken.
f. Demonstrable ability to facilitate proceedings among a diverse group of people in a neutral and objective manner.

7.0. Management of the Inequality Study
a. The Consultant is to share the methodology developed with Oxfam’s Management and CISLAC a week prior to the commencement of the study.
b. The Consultant will manage the study while Oxfam and CISLAC management takes care of its associated logistics
c. The Consultant will present the report of the study to Oxfam’s management one week after the end of the study for review, validation and approval.
d. The Consultant will receive 50% of the costs to carry out the study. The balance of the funds will be paid by Oxfam’s management at the submission of the approved report by the end of the assignment.
Duration: the assignment is expected to last for 25 days. 20 days for the data collection and 5 days for report preparation.

8.0. SUBMISSION
All entries should be made to: [email protected] | [email protected] and [email protected].
All entries should be made within two (2) weeks from the date of this publication.