Consultant - Health & Nutrition Budget at the Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN)

The Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN) is a non-governmental, non-profit making coalition, made up of organizations with a shared vision to transform Nigeria into a country where every citizen has food and is nutrition secured. We pursue this lofty goal by engaging government and non-state actors to raise awareness, sustain commitment and actions to effectively tackle under-nutrition in Nigeria. The coalition was formally launched on the 7th of August, 2014.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Consultant to Analyse, Report & Develop Budget Briefs in Infographic Format on Health & Nutrition Budget at the National and Focal States

Location: Abuja

Background
The Partnership for Improving Nigeria Nutrition Systems (PINNS) is a project designed to strengthen the Nigeria nutrition systems to be more Result-driven, Effective, Serviceable, Efficient and Transparent (RESET). This is to facilitate the delivery of Nutrition interventions and to hold government accountable on commitments made to allocate, release and use transparently funds for implementation of high impact Nutrition interventions in Nigeria through evidence-based advocacy.

Malnutrition in Nigeria is caused by several factors, for example, lack of food, improper feeding and caring practices, economic and political structures, low status and lack of education among women, etc. Therefore, a multi-sectoral approach is required for reducing and eventually eradicating the scourge. The UNICEF conceptual framework (UNICEF 2013) brings to the fore the need to engage multi-actors, disciplines, sectors and systems in this effort as evidence increasingly suggests that solving malnutrition can benefit from a systems approach (WHO 2009; Hammond &Dube’ 2012).

PINNS project adopts a systems approach to strengthening bodies burdened with the responsibility of reducing malnutrition in Nigeria. It pays attention to the unpredictable interaction among factors, sectors, disciplines and determinants of nutrition, bringing to the table key tools and technical support required for the effective coordination and implementation of programs. PINNS seeks to focus on strengthening governance, policy implementation, effective coordination, financing, building the capacity of state actors, generation and effective communication of evidence and promoting accountability. This collective effort will contribute to a reduction in malnutrition, thereby improving the nutritional status of Nigerians, particularly women and children. The organizational capacity of CS-SUNN to become a leading voice on nutrition advocacy in Nigeria by deepening expertise gained from the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) project and building new ones is also one of the goals the project intends to achieve.

Rationale
Over the last 10 years, the government of Nigeria has never budgeted or spent up to the African Union proposed 15% of national budget on Health which Nigeria is a signatory to and the 1% consolidated revenue fund designed to operationalise the 2014 National Health Act was still not captured in the 2017 budget 3 years after.

Government funding for nutrition in the country has also been abysmal especially on high impact interventions like IYCF, Maternal Nutrition and staple food fortification, as shown in the 2018 budget submitted to the House of Assembly, where a paltry sum of 30 million naira was proposed. The need to generate evidence that clearly shows whether government spending on such key interventions are adequate or not and also if allocated funds for both health and nutrition are released as at when due, utilized judiciously for what they are meant for as captured in the appropriation acts of each project location, is germane to improving the health and nutritional status of Nigerians, a core prayer of the PINNS project.

It is important that a concise and pictorial description of the issue of low health budgeting and its implication for health/nutrition in Nigeria be produced. This will provide respective legislators and other stakeholders in project locations a better understanding of where we are at as against where we ought to be in relation to funding for health and nutrition.

To this effect, CS-SUNN requires the services of a well experienced expert to collect budgets and budget performance information from 20o8 to 2018, analyse and come up with a comprehensive report and budget infographics for use as evidence to engage in advocacy and campaigns. The analysis will look at funding trends, health care funding, legal and health implications of poor funding, compare focal states budget for health and nutrition and come up with smart recommendations.

Purpose of Assignment

• The purpose of this assignment is to firstly, conduct a budget analysis for health and nutrition funding at the Federal and focal states (Lagos, Kaduna, Niger, Kano, Nasarawa)
• It will particularly focus on funding for high impact nutrition interventions like; IYCF, Maternal Nutrition, staple food fortification and secondly, to develop budget infographics with a call to action for improving, release and efficient use of funding for health and nutrition.

Specific Tasks
The specific tasks for the consultants are:

• Conduct a Five-year (2014-2018) trend analysis of health and nutrition budget at the national and focal states (Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa). The analysis will also focus on funding trend for high impact interventions like IYCF, Maternal Nutrition and staple food fortification.
• Compare Nigeria’s funding commitments as it relates to meeting global commitments/targets for health and nutrition
• Develop budget infographics on findings from trend analysis with smart recommendations to address gaps in funding commitments at federal and focal states.
• Do a comparative trend analysis of nutrition budget of focal states in Nigeria (Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa). to provoke healthy competition among states in health and nutrition funding.
• Develop power point presentation of findings for use in engaging in advocacy to Executives, Legislators and policy makers.

Expected Outputs
By the end of the assignment the following outputs will be expected:

• Analysis tool developed and used for the assignment
• Budget infographics on findings from trend analysis with smart recommendations to address gaps in funding commitments at federal and focal states.
• PowerPoint presentation of findings
• Final report on a Five-year (2014-2018) trend analysis of health and nutrition budget at the national and focal states (Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Niger and Nasarawa).

Qualifications

• The consultant should have extensive knowledge of the Nigerian health/Nutrition systems, budget analysis with experience in implementing public health programmes, especially MNCH and nutrition-related services
• An Advanced Degree in Health Planning, Health Economics and Financing, and related disciplines is a must
• S/He should have an in-depth understanding of the Nigerian budget process and cycles
• S/He must also be able to show clearly through past works; ability to conduct budget analysis, develop infographics and effectively relate budget information to developmental issues to spur action from policymakers.

Timing of Consultancy

• The assignment will be carried out in Abuja and focal states (Lagos, Kano, Niger, Nasarawa and Kaduna) and will last for 25 working days in the month of May/June 2018
• Assignment must be completed and final submissions made by close of business of the 29th of June, 2018.

Application Closing Date
25th May, 2018.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates (Consultants) should forward their formal Applications with the following below to: [email protected] and/or [email protected]

• Curriculum Vitae
• Technical offer containing work plan and methodology
• Links to past works that relate to this assignment
• Financial offer including:
  
  • Daily consultancy fee - all taxes and duties included; and
  • Travel, accommodation and subsistence costs (if applicable).

Note
Please address correspondence to:
The Project Director,
Civil Society Scaling-up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN),
33 Imo Crescent,
Area 1, Garki,
Abuja.