Technical Assistant to the Rural Institution Development Officer (RIDO) in Kano State Programme Implementation Unit

Background

• The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has secured a facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to implement a five-year ADB/IFAD/IsDB-Assisted Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Program in partnership with the State Governments and Private Investors in seven (7) participating states of Imo, Kano, Kaduna, Cross River, Kwara, Oyo and Ogun as well as the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the first phase of program imple-mentation.
• The implementation of a govemment enabled private sector driven SAPZs is a major investment program of the Federal Government of Nigeria, driven by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS) in collaboration with relevant Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to develop agro-processing clusters in areas of high agricultural production across the country. It is a strategic move to rapidly develop modern Agro-processing capacity to serve the vast and growing local markets, create sustainable market for farmers and reduce post-harvest losses of local agricultural produce and thereby create wealth for farmers, promote import substitution and create sustainable agriculture-related jobs.
• This clustering approach is to help address investment challenges in the development of Agro-processing enclaves across Nigeria, including poat access to quality infrastructure, inadequate feedstock supplies and other challenges confronting agro-processing environment. SAPZs, therefore, will be developed with requisite infrastructure for Agro processing environment which will help reduce: cost absorptions and engender competitiveness in agro-industrial production that is critical to further unlocking the potentials of Nigeria's agriculture to create ready markets and wealth for farming communities and reduce rural poverty.
• "The SAPZ is made up of two building blocks which include the Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATs), which are community-based rural institution within the host community, supported with provision of quality production drivers for the production of feedstock and the Aggregation Centre (AC) for primary stor-age; and the Agro-Industrial Hub (AlH) equipped with desirable infrastructure to create modern Agro-processing environment where secondary value addition will take place.
• The Agro-Industrial Processing Hub (AlH) will draw its processing feedstock from the ATs where activities of the production clusters and Aggregation Centres are being coordinated.

Scope of Work and Responsibilities

• The TA will work under the direct supervision of the State RIDO and in close collaboration with stakeholders and report through the State Officer to the State Programme Coordinator. Key responsibilities include (but are not limited to):

Strategic and Technical Support:

• Assist in the development and updating of strategies, guidelines, opera- tional manuals and toolkits for rural institutions development, including group formation, legal registration, governance structures, and sustainability frame- works.
• Support the design and implementation of capacity building programmes for FOs, cooperatives, MSMEs and MAFS, incorporating modules on business planning, gender mainstreaming, nutrition, and value addition (using tools such as GALS Gender Action Learning System- where applicable).
• iii. Facilitate the integration of rural institutions with ATCs, AIHs, and private sector actors for reliable feedstock supply, aggregation, and market linkages.

Coordination and Implementation:

• Coordinate the SPIUS related activities, ADPs' Rural Institution Develop- ment Departments, extension services, and service providers for the identification, mobilization, training, and strengthening of at least 3,000+ FOs across participat- ing states,
• Organize and facilitate stakeholder workshops, training-of-trainers ses- sions, and field missions to promote inclusive participation (targeting 240% wom- en-led or women-only groups and youth inclusion).
• Liaise with state level financial institutions, NIRSAL, and other partners to enhance access to finance and de-risking mechanisms for rural institutions.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships:

• Assist in mapping, profiting, and registering eligible rural institutions (co- operatives, farmer groups, etc.) for participation in the SAPZ value chains.
• Support the facilitation of inclusive dialogue platforms to negotiate con- tract farming, agreements, out-grower schemes, and benefit-sharing mechanisms between smallholder groups and private sector anchor firms.
• Serve as a secretariat for the Rural Institutions Working Group, preparing minutes, tracking action points, and disseminating information.

Financial Inclusion and Linkages:

• Support initiatives to strengthen linkages between rural institutions and Financial institutions (banks, microfinance institutions, FSAs) Input suppliers and service providers
• Off-takers and processors within SAPZ
• Assist in promoting access to credit, savings, and insurance products. Support implementation of financial literacy programmes.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:

• Support the RIDO in trac king key performance indicators (KPIs) related to rural institutions, such as number of farmers organized, volume of produce ag- gregated, number of functional FOs, governance percentage of women/youth-led enterprises, scores, member in come increases, O&M fund contributions.
• Contribute to Programme Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPBS), quarterly progress reports, and other reporting requirements for AfDB, IFAD, ISDB, and FGN.
• Conduct regular field monitoring visits (in coordination with M&E Unit) and prepare analytical reports «on challenges, lessons learned, and best practices. Assist in the documentation of success stories, knowledge products, and policy briefs on rural institutions development.
• Prepare high-quality technical reports, quarterly progress reports, and briefs for the SRIDO, State Coordinator, and financing partners.
• Maintain a robust database (MIS) of all rural institutions engaged under the programme, including their governance structures, financial health, and pro- duction capacity.

Other Duties:

• Represent the RIDIO in technical meetings, steering committees, and do- nor missions as delegated.
• Support the integration of cross-cutting themes (gender, youth, climate change, nutrition, and safeguards) into all rural institution's activities.
• Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the RIDO or State Pro- gramme Coordinator (NPC").

Qualifications and Skills Required

• Master's Degree (or equivalent) in Rural Development, Agricultural Eco- nomics, Agribusiness, Development Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, or a re- lated social science discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive relevant professional experience in rural development projects, with at least 5 years focused on farmer organization/ cooperative strengthening, group mobilization, institutional capacity building, or agribusiness development in Nigeria or similar African contexts.
• Proven track record in designing and implementing capacity-building pro- grammes for market smallholder groups, including experience with value chain development, linkages, and financial inclusion (e.g., FSA or VSLA models).
• Familiarity with donor-funded agricultural projects (AfDB, IFAD, World Bank, etc.), including safeguards, gender mainstreaming and M&E frameworks.
• Experience working with government institutions (FMAFS, ADPs, State Ministries) and multi-stakeholder platforms is highly desirable
• Demonstrated field experience in at least 3 geo-political zones of Nigeria.

Application Closing Date
13th October, 2026; 12:00 noon local time.

How to Apply

• Interested and eligible candidates should submit the following:
  • Resumes, description of similar experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, a written technical proposal (maximum 2 pages) and a financial proposal.
• The proposals to be submitted by the consultants will be evaluated on the basis of the following technical criteria:
  • Appropriate skills and qualifications (academic record and general work experience) - 25 points
  • Competency and experience in occupying similar positions in any government or private institution- 25 points
  • Similar Experience working with any donor funded project (AfDB and World Bank, IFAD, etc) - 30 points
  • Communication skills in English - 20 points
  • Making a total of 100 points.

Expression of Interest must be delivered to the address below in person. Clearly indicate on your envelop the category you are applying for, and mark it "Engagement of a Technical Assistant to Support the SAPZ Program"

Aminu A. Iliyasu,
State Program Coordinator,
State Program Implementation Unit,
Kano State Program Coordinator, SAPZ,
State Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources,
No. 127 T/G Shanu Beside Arewa Radio (Wazobia Cool FM),
Farm Center Kano.
Contact: 
Or
Electronically via: using "Engagement of a Technical Assistant to Support the SAPZ Program" as the subject of the mail.

Note

• Only candidates scoring a mark of 75 points or more will be considered for the respective assignment.
• Late submissions will NOT be accepted.
• Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
• Candidates may obtain further information at the address above during office hours of 09:00am and 04:00pm (Local time; Mondays-Fri-days).
• Eligibility criteria, establishment of the shortlist and selection procedure shall be in accordance with IFAD and IsDB Procurement Procedures.

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