The International Organization for Migration (IOM), established in 1951, is the leading UN agency in the field of migration, dedicated to ensuring humane and orderly migration, promoting international cooperation, and providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in need. IOM commenced its operations in Nigeria in 2001 and has since supported the government and stakeholders to strengthen migration governance, policy development, and data management. With the increased movement of persons and goods over the past decades, IOM has actively assisted the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGoN) in improving immigration and border management structures, enabling the country to effectively manage cross-border flows and promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.

Nigeria’s migration landscape is complex, serving as a major country of origin, transit, and destination within West Africa. Socio-economic drivers, irregular migration, trafficking in persons (TiP), and smuggling of migrants (SoM) present significant challenges for both migrants and communities. The lack of robust, data-driven migration governance has further complicated these issues, creating gaps between policy and the realities faced by vulnerable populations.

To address the complex challenges of migration in Nigeria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as the UN Migration Agency, with funding from the Migration Multi Partnership Trust Fund (MMPTF) has implemented the project “Strengthening Facts-Based and Data-Driven Migration Governance and Management” over 35 months (16 Feb 2023 – 15 Feb 2026). This project was carried out in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, with support from multiple ministries, departments, agencies, civil society organizations, and the UN Migration Network. The objective of the project is to “Enhance migration governance through investments in data collection, analysis, and evidence-based policy development, focusing on strengthening the institutional and operational capacities of key government stakeholders”. This intervention aims to enhance the capacity of government institutions to collect, analyse, and utilize migration data for evidence-based policy and decision-making.  

The project supported the review of the National Migration Policy (NMP), the development of the National Implementation Plan for the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), and the strengthening of institutional frameworks for migration management. By bridging the gap between policy and the realities faced by migrants, especially those vulnerable to migration-related crimes such as trafficking in persons (TiP) and smuggling of migrants (SoM), the project contributed to more effective, coordinated, and responsive migration governance in Nigeria. 

Scope

• Timeframe: the entire implementation period from 16 February 2023 to 15 February 2026
• Thematic coverage: all project components, including policy development, data management systems, capacity-building activities, and stakeholder coordination
• Geographic coverage: Abuja and other key states and agencies involved in migration governance. The evaluation data collection will be undertaken in person in Abuja, and where not feasible, remotely. The geographic scope will include all or a sample of the major implementing areas in Nigeria 
• Stakeholders: Representatives of direct project beneficiary institutions, project implementation collaborators and government counterpart partners, and other relevant stakeholder institutions directly or indirectly benefiting from or involved in project implementation will be identified to participate in the evaluation as either respondents, guide, or members of the evaluation team in the spirit of participatory evaluation. Stakeholders targeted through the evaluation will inclide: Ministries Department and Agencies 
• National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI)
• National Population Commission (NPC)
• National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)
• National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)
• Federal Ministry for Labour and Employment

Civil Society Organizations 

• Civil Society Network on Migration (CSOnetMADE)
• Network of Civil Society organizations against Child trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL)
• Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF)
• Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
• Good Governance Team

Academia

• Centre for Migration Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka
• Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto
• Network of Legal Experts on Migration in West/Central Africa (NoLEM)

The evaluation will assess the performance of the project against the agreed-upon three project outcomes, namely: 

• Outcome 1: Strengthened migration data governance through enhanced institutional and operational capacity on migration data management.

• Outcome 2: Enhanced migration management coordination and cooperation amongst stakeholders in line with National Migration Policy Principles and Frameworks

• Outcome 3: The Global Compact on Migration Reflected in national migration plans and Strategies. 

The review should also consider cross-cutting issues such as integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, and environmental sustainability aspects of the interventions.

Evaluation purpose and objective

The primary purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability in line with the IOM Evaluation Policy and the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria.

The evaluation will examine the project’s design, implementation processes, and results achieved, including intended and unintended outcomes, with due consideration to cross-cutting principles such as integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, environmental sustainability. It will assess the project’s contribution to institutional and national priorities, document achievements and challenges, and identify factors influencing performance. The evaluation will generate evidence-based lessons learned, good practices, and actionable recommendations to inform decision-making and strengthen the design, implementation, and delivery of current and future IOM interventions.

The specific objectives:

• Assess the extent to which the project met its commitments as per the results framework, ensure accountability, and note any unmet or new needs.
• Assess how much the project has contributed or can contribute to broader outcomes and impact.
• Analyze the management of project resources, partnerships, and operational arrangements, and their influence on efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.
• Identify best practices, lessons learned and propose actionable recommendations for future programming.
• Examine the extent to which IOM crosscutting priorities (integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, environmental sustainability) were mainstreamed in design, implementation, monitoring and reporting.

The findings and recommendations from the evaluation will be used by the following primary key stakeholders for distinct but complementary purposes: 

• IOM Nigeria – Programme Improvement and Organizational Learning: 

The evaluation findings will be used by IOM Nigeria to assess the performance of the project against its intended objectives and results. They will inform evidence-based decision-making for the design, implementation, and management of ongoing and future programmes, including the identification of lessons learned, good practices, and areas for improvement. The findings will also contribute to strengthening internal accountability and institutional learning within IOM. 

• Donors – Value for Money and Funding Decisions: 

Donors will use the evaluation findings to assess the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and value for money, as well as IOM’s accountability in the use of resources. The results will support informed funding decisions, guide future investment priorities, and provide assurance on the achievement of intended results in line with donor objectives and expectations. 

• Government Partners – Policy Integration and Strategic Alignment: 

Government counterparts will use the evaluation findings to understand the project’s contribution to national migration governance priorities and policy frameworks. The evidence generated will support policy dialogue, inform the integration of successful approaches into national strategies and systems, and strengthen coordination and collaboration between IOM and government institutions. 

• Beneficiaries – Accountability and Transparency: 

Beneficiaries and affected communities will benefit from the evaluation through increased transparency and accountability regarding project results and resource use. Where appropriate, key findings will be shared in accessible formats to promote awareness of project outcomes and to ensure that beneficiary perspectives are reflected in learning and future programming

Evaluation criteria 

The evaluation will use the OECD-DAC’s criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and coherence (to the extent possible) as well as IOM’s core crosscutting priorities (1) Integrity, Transparency and Accountability, 2) Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, 3) Protection-centred and 4) Environmental Sustainability will also be assessed to ascertain the extent of their mainstreaming in compliance with IOM Strategic Results Framework.

Evaluation questions

The following evaluation criteria questions are recommended; however, the evaluator’s enrichment will be welcome. A final list of evaluation questions and sub-questions will be presented in the inception report delivered by the evaluator.

Evaluation methodology

A mixed-methods approach is recommended, including:

Data collection methods

• Document review: IOM project implementation team will provide the following documents (among any others) to the evaluation consultant/team: 
  • Project proposal, 
  • Results matrix, 
  • Project budgets,  
  • Interim, financial and narrative reports, 
  • Activity documentation, 
  • Relevant publications related to the project,
  • Donor’s documentation, such as signed agreement, and important correspondence.
• Key informant interviews (KII): The evaluation consultant will conduct KII with IOM staff, selected government officials, beneficiaries, and partners directly involved in project implementation. The total number of KIIs to be discussed and agreed upon with the evaluator. 
• Focus group discussions: Focused Group Discussion (FGD) will be conducted with selected project beneficiaries to gain more insights on the project. The consultant needs to elaborate further on the selection criteria and the number of FGDs adequate to give them sufficient insight directly from beneficiaries
• Direct observation: Site visits to project locations and agencies.
• Surveys: As appropriate, to capture quantitative data, surveys will be carried out using pre-validated electronic forms that have been uploaded to Kobo Toolbox. 

Data Analysis and Reporting methods: 

A mix of tools (Excel, Power BI, etc.) will be used for evaluation data analysis to allow for the right blend of visuals and narrative reports that address and respond to all evaluation questions articulated in this ToR. The evaluator will synthesize findings into clear, evidence-based conclusions and actionable recommendations, presented in formats accessible to different audiences such as the project’s direct and indirect beneficiaries, donor agencies, collaborators, and counterparts. 

The evaluator will refine the methodology in the inception phase, ensuring gender, human rights, and protection principles are integrated. 

Assistance will be provided by the project manager/ team to the Evaluator to access key stakeholders and to organise the schedule of interviews and site visits.

Ethics, norms and standards for evaluation 

The evaluation will adhere to IOM Data Protection and research Principles, IOM central Evaluation Guidelines on Evaluations (https://evaluation.iom.int/#techref), the UN Evaluation Group’s (UNEG) “Norms and Standards for Evaluation 2017 Guidance” (see http://www.uneval.org/document/detail/1914) and UNEG Ethical Guidelines for Evaluation and Code of Conduct for Evaluation in the UN System). Ethical standards, including informed consent and confidentiality, must be maintained. 

• The Evaluator will be responsible for refining the evaluation methodology (if necessary), develop a data collection plan, design data collection tools, carry out data collection and analysis, develop a draft and submission of inception and final evaluation reports together with the accompanying documents and timely delivery of quality deliverables and ethical conduct at all stages of the evaluation process.

• The IOM project management and M&E teams will be responsible for providing required documentation, timely review of deliverables and any necessary internal coordination to facilitate the evaluation, including inputs to the evaluation report by stakeholders. 

• The Evaluation Manager will be responsible for coordinating all the evaluation processes and, after completion, facilitate the completion of the Management Response Matrix and implementation of recommendations.

• Additional stakeholders in government, partner organizations, etc., provide timely inputs via participating in key informant interviews and other evaluation activities, and any evaluation document or finding reviews. 

• The Regional Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Officer - RPMEO: provide additional review to evaluation deliverables to optimize quality and adherence to institutional standards. 

Tentative Time Schedule

The duration of the evaluation will take 10 weeks and should be completed by 30 March 2026. The evaluator is expected to start the evaluation as soon as possible upon signing the contract with IOM.  This is a tentative timeline suggested. The evaluator will have the opportunity to refine it further in view of the project's end date in January 2026.

The lead evaluator will produce the following: 

1. An inception report: Detailing methodology, tools, work plan evaluation matrix and data collection tools to be reviewed and approved by IOM Nigeria M&E team before the field mission.
2. A presentation outlining the initial findings (last days of the field mission), so as to facilitate the early discussion and feedback.
3. Draft evaluation report: For review by IOM and stakeholders.
4. Final evaluation report and brief: Incorporating feedback and following IOM standards.
    

• A Master’s degree in a relevant field (monitoring and evalaution, migration, development, policy, social sciences, statistics, etc.) and have proven experience conducting complex evaluations for migration governance, policy programmes, or similar development interventions.