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Ref.
2026/PISEIDSETTN/15130

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Deadline date
2026/04/23 23:59

Duration of the assignment
Short term

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
18 days max.

Mission description

The overall objective of the mission is to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the role of digital technologies in human trafficking dynamics in Nigeria and evaluate the level of preparedness of national law enforcement and institutional actors to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to cyber-enabled trafficking.

Specific Objectives

The mission will pursue the following specific objectives:

  1. Assess the evolving digital landscape of human trafficking in Nigeria, including the use of social media platforms, encrypted communication tools, online marketplaces, and digital financial services by trafficking networks.
  2. Analyse the institutional, technical, and operational capacities of Nigerian law enforcement and relevant stakeholders to identify, investigate, and prosecute cyber-enabled trafficking cases.
  3. Review the existing digital systems, databases, and information-sharing mechanisms used in anti-trafficking efforts, including their functionality, interoperability, and effectiveness in supporting investigations and victim protection.
  4. Identify key gaps, challenges, and opportunities related to digital evidence collection, cyber investigations, cross-border cooperation, and collaboration with private sector technology actors.
  5. Develop strategic and operational cost efficient innovations to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to address cyber-enabled trafficking, including scalable interventions that can be replicated across other countries participating in the PROTECT project.

6.       Support the establishment of baseline values for project indicators through systematic data collection and evidence generation, in alignment with the PROTECT project’s MEAL framework.

 

Scope of Work

Under the overall supervision of Expertise France National Coordinator and in close coordination with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Short-Term International Expert will work in collaboration with the Short-Term National Expert to conduct a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of the digital dimensions of human trafficking in Nigeria. The Expert will collaborate with the regional project team based in Lome.

The experts will undertake the following tasks:

·       Desk Review and Context Analysis

·       Stakeholder consultations and institutional mapping

·       Assessment of digital systems and operational capacities

·       Analysis of emerging digital trafficking trends

·       Identification of institutional gaps and capacity needs

·       Development of Strategic and operational cost efficient Recommendations

·       Produce harmonised inception phase report in collaboration with the National Experts on Institutional Coordination, Asset Recovery & Governance Diagnostics

·       Develop appropriate data collection tools and methodologies, and conduct data collection to generate evidence required for establishing baseline values of relevant project indicators, in close coordination with the National Coordinator and Project MEAL Manager

 

Specific Role of the Short-Term International Expert

The International Expert will provide technical leadership and analytical guidance for the mission. Key responsibilities include:

  • Lead the overall methodological approach for the diagnostic assessment.
  • Provide technical expertise on cyber-enabled trafficking and digital investigation practices.
  • Analyse international trends and compare Nigeria’s systems with global best practices.
  • Lead the analysis of digital trafficking typologies and technological risks.
  • Guide the development of strategic and operational recommendations.
  • Lead the drafting of the diagnostic assessment report.

Deliverables

The Short-Term International Expert, working in close collaboration with the Short-Term National Expert, will produce the following deliverables:

  • Inception Note: A short inception note outlining the methodological approach, key stakeholders to be consulted, and the workplan for the diagnostic assessment, including data collection tools and timelines.
  • Stakeholder Consultations and Mapping.
  • Diagnostic Assessment Report including the profile of online traffickers and other facilitators, the profiles of victims/survivors in general, and of those affected online in particular, the geographic areas most affected by this form of trafficking.
  • Analysis of the digital ecosystem for combating human trafficking.
  • Strategic and Operational Recommendations, including learning questions related to Digital systems use for human trafficking.
  • Presentation of Findings - Deliver a presentation of the key findings and recommendations to Expertise France, AFD, NAPTIP, and relevant stakeholders during a validation or technical debrief session

Duration & Location

  • Total Duration: The Expert will be engaged for a maximum of 18 working days, to be delivered over a period of 6 weeks, during which the final output is expected to be submitted.
  • Location: A combination of desk review (remote) and in-country mission(s) to Abuja may be required.

Terms of application

·       The mission should start in May 2026

Mission finance

Estimated Budget: 18 working days maximum.

·       Logistics: The Expert will develop a logistics plan for consultation with stakeholders and validation workshop for approval by Expertise France National Coordinator at the inception of the assignment and in line with estimated budget for logistics. 

Project or context description

The PROTECT project (Prevent Human Trafficking through Enforcement, Cooperation and Training), funded by the French Development Agency (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France, aims to strengthen the response to trafficking in persons across eight countries in the Gulf of Guinea: Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.

Building on the achievements of the ALTP project (2019–2024), PROTECT focuses on strengthening victim protection systems, digital resilience, and gender-sensitive approaches, while reinforcing institutional coordination and enhancing mechanisms for the investigation and recovery of assets linked to trafficking networks.

Nigeria remains a source, transit, and destination country for victims of trafficking within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, accounting for a significant proportion of detected and rescued victims.

This mission will focus on strengthening institutional capacity in Nigeria, particularly within the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the national agency mandated to coordinate efforts for the prevention of human trafficking. Established in 2003 following the enactment of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforcement and Administration Act, NAPTIP has adopted a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to combat trafficking in persons.

In recent years, the modus operandi employed by traffickers has increasingly shifted from traditional physical recruitment methods to digital and online platforms used to lure and exploit victims. Emerging trends include digital scams such as “pig butchering” schemes or fraudulent investment platforms such as QNet, often associated with cybercrime networks such as those commonly referred to as “Yahoo Boys.” These evolving practices demonstrate the growing use of digital technologies to recruit, control, and exploit victims.

More broadly, cyber-enabled human trafficking poses a growing threat to national security, economic stability, and individual safety in Nigeria and across West Africa. Technology-facilitated crimes, including online fraud, sextortion, identity theft, and digital exploitation, are increasingly transnational, sophisticated, and fast-moving.

Trafficking networks are increasingly using:

  • Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram to recruit victims through fake job offers, education opportunities, or fraudulent marriages.
  • Encrypted messaging applications such as Signal, Telegram, and YOLO to coordinate criminal activities.
  • Digital platforms and online marketplaces to advertise or facilitate exploitation, including sexual exploitation and remote forced labour.
  • Online financial services, digital wallets, and virtual currencies to transfer or launder proceeds from trafficking.

Although the growing role of technology in trafficking has been widely documented globally, it remains understudied in the Gulf of Guinea region, despite increasing operational evidence emerging from investigations and requests for international mutual legal assistance.

Integrating digital considerations into anti-trafficking strategies is therefore essential. Strengthening states’ ability to detect, investigate, and respond to cyber-enabled trafficking will contribute to a better understanding of traffickers’ methods and enable governments to adapt policies and operational responses to rapidly evolving criminal dynamics.

Within the PROTECT project, Nigeria will serve as a pilot country for targeted action on digital dimensions of human trafficking, reflecting its significant digital ecosystem and regional leadership in cybercrime investigations.

Within this context, a Short-Term International Expert, in collaboration with a Short-Term National Expert, will conduct an in-depth diagnostic assessment on the use of digital platforms in the perpetration of human trafficking in Nigeria. The mission will analyse the level of preparedness of the Nigerian law enforcement and institutional ecosystem to effectively detect, investigate, and respond to cyber-enabled trafficking.

The assessment will identify key operational, institutional, and technical gaps and provide actionable recommendations and model interventions to strengthen national capacity to address digital and cyber-enabled trafficking. The recommendations developed through this pilot exercise are expected to be replicable and scalable across other countries participating in the PROTECT project.

 

Required profile

  • Advanced university degree (Master’s or equivalent) in Criminology, Cybersecurity, Information Systems, Law, International Relations, Digital Forensics, or a related field.
  • At least 10 years of professional experience in areas related to cybercrime investigations, digital technologies, trafficking in persons, or transnational organized crime.
  • Demonstrated experience in conducting institutional assessments, diagnostics, or policy analyses related to cybercrime or trafficking in persons.
  • Proven experience working with law enforcement agencies, criminal justice institutions, or international organisations on issues related to cybercrime or digital investigations.
  • Strong knowledge of digital platforms, online financial systems, encrypted communication technologies, and emerging cyber-enabled criminal typologies.
  • Experience working on capacity-building or technical assistance projects in developing countries, preferably in Africa or West Africa.
  • Familiarity with international legal frameworks and cooperation mechanisms related to cybercrime and trafficking in persons.
  • Excellent analytical, drafting, and reporting skills in English.

Additional information

Selection Criteria:

Candidates will be evaluated based on:

  • Relevance of training and diplomas to the assignment.
  • Proven experience in institutional diagnostics and asset forfeiture.
  • Familiarity with the Nigerian context or similar regional environments.
  • Qualitative technical proposal focusing on mission understanding, methodological approach and clear workplan.
  • Competitive budget.

Expertise Performance Indicators:

  • Deliverables are produced with high quality, both in substance and form, and within the scheduled deadlines, incorporating relevant revisions and feedback from Expertise France. Report content is geared toward developing concrete, relevant, actionable, and operational recommendations for stakeholders and the report’s audiences. The Expert commits to providing a substantial, in-depth analysis, going beyond mere observations and descriptions, and is required to identify the root causes of the issues raised.
  • The Expert guarantees the accuracy of the data collected and processed. All findings or analyses must be supported by verifiable sources, cited in the annexes. Expertise France reserves the right to reject the deliverable if significant factual errors or methodological inconsistencies are identified.
  • The Expert must prove reliable, transparent, and reasonably available for regular exchanges and fluid communication with Expertise France.

Job Offer Type: Experts

Type of contract: Service contract

Submission Requirements:

Interested candidates must submit, in one file :

  • A technical proposal, including an understanding of the assignment, a methodological note (max. 4 pages) explaining the proposed approach and methodology, and a preliminary indicative work schedule.
  • A financial proposal specifying the daily rate in Euros, inclusive of all taxes. This offer must cover the expert’s fees, travel expenses for field missions, as well as other logistical and/or administrative costs necessary for producing the diagnostic report.
  • The candidate’s CV, including references, particularly for similar assignments.
  • Proof of identity of the candidate or the legal representative of the applicant organization.
  • Proof of legal registration.

Deadline for application: 23/04/2026

 Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s training/skills/experience
  • Candidate’s skills linked with the expert mission
  • Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
  • Assessment of the candidate's skills in the sought-after domain
  • Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)

Deadline for application : 2026/04/23 23:59

Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :

  • democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
  • peace, stability, and security ;
  • climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
  • health and human development ;

In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results. 

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