National Individual Consultant: Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist, Abuja, Nigeria - NOC

Background Information

Title of Post:                       Public Health Midwifery Investment Specialist

Grade level of Post            NOC

Location:                            Abuja, Nigeria - Remote

Full/Part Time:                   Full Time

Contract Type:                   Individual Consultancy (IC)

Duration:                           40 days over a period of six months

CLOSING DATE:  SUNDAY 21 JUNE 2026

Please note that this vacancy announcement is only for Nigerian nationals.

Purpose of Consultancy

Global attention and investment in midwifery are increasing as an effective strategy to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG3). To advance this agenda, the Midwifery Accelerator was launched in April 2025 by a global coalition including WHO, UNICEF, and ICM to scale up the Midwifery Model of Care (MMoC). 

The primary goal is to generate country-specific evidence on the costs and economic benefits of scaling up MmoC to inform policy, prioritize investments, and mobilize resources. By implementing investment case framework analysis in midwifery at country level, UNFPA together with key stakeholders would be able to provide economic arguments to persuade the government to expand investments in and coverage of MmoC. This case will guide strategic investments, policy formulation, and resource mobilization, with the ultimate goal of improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes in the country.

Scope of Work

The Public Health Consultant would provide the technical, epidemiological, health systems, and policy leadership needed to ensure that the investment case is evidence-based, context-specific, and aligned with national and global maternal and newborn health priorities. While a health economist focuses primarily on costs, financing, and economic returns, the public health expert focuses on the population health rationale, health systems implications, service delivery realities, and public health impact of investing in MMoC in Nigeria.

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

• Induction workshop: working in collaboration with a Health Economist, design and co-facilitate a national induction workshop, in coordination with Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOH&SW), Federal Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning (FMBEP), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, and key stakeholders, to present and discuss the objectives of the investment case. The workshop will aim to establish a multi-sectoral Task Force and develop a roadmap for implementation.
• Stakeholder Workshops: Plan and co-facilitate 3–4 national and subnational workshops to support the investment case for midwifery. These will include an inception workshop, coordination meetings, validation of draft results, and a final dissemination event with FMOH&SW and relevant stakeholders.
• Situational Analysis: Lead a thorough analysis of the national and subnational landscape for RMNCAH+N and midwifery in Nigeria. Review maternal and neonatal mortality rates, the primary causes of preventable deaths, health system characteristics, existing policies, and the current state of the midwifery workforce and model of care.
• Define Midwifery Intervention Package: In line with the investment case framework and national priorities, lead the definition and selection of a model package of midwifery care that can be delivered by midwives in the Nigerian context to accelerate reduction of maternal and newborn mortality and morbidity.
• Workforce Analysis and Strategy: Estimate the workforce requirements needed to deliver the modeled scale-up scenario, in collaboration with the Health Economist.
  • Conduct a gap analysis of the current midwifery workforce supply, distribution, and skill mix against the projected demand.
  • Develop evidence-based workforce development strategies, considering options such as training new cadres, scaling up existing training programs, and improving retention.
• Analyze Enabling Environment: Assess the contextual factors required for an enabling environment for midwifery in Nigeria, including regulation, professional status, gender equality, and system-level integration.
• Reporting: Lead the drafting of the RMNCAEH+N and human resource for health sections of the reports and deliverables, ensuring a cohesive and integrated final investment case document.

The Key Deliverables

1. Inception Report detailing the methodology, work plan, stakeholder engagement strategy, and data availability.
2. Comprehensive Reports of the national induction and the Inception Workshops with FMOH&SW, FMBEP, and other stakeholder consultation meetings.
3. Situational Analysis Report on the RMNCAH+N services, midwifery landscape and health systems, geographic disparity and equity analysis of Nigeria.
4. Draft Investment Case Document, detailing the health impact projections of the model scenarios, the priority intervention package and framework including workforce development and retention strategies, and policy recommendations.
5. Final Investment Case Document, fully validated and ready for dissemination, including roadmap for implementation, the monitoring, evaluation and accountability framework.
6. Advocacy materials and contribution to policy briefs based on the investment case findings.
7. Presentation & Dissemination Materials for the investment case.
8. Final Technical Consultancy Report

Duration and working Schedule:

The consultancy is for 40 days over a period of six months.

Month 1: inception workshop and planning phase. 

Months 2–3: data collection, review, and analysis phase. 

Months 3–4: report drafting and stakeholder validation. 

Months 5–6: finalization and dissemination.

Places where services are to be delivered:

Abuja, Nigeria - Remote. 

Monitoring and progress control, including reporting requirements, periodicity format and deadline:

A clear milestone-based payment is outlined for this consultancy, each payment tranche released upon the successful submission and approval of specific deliverables. 

Supervisory arrangements:

The Public Health Consultant will be under the supervision of the Technical Specialist, Reproductive and Maternal Health at the country office. Technical guidance will be provided by designated UNFPA technical team members and regional experts. Regular review meetings will be held to assess progress and resolve challenges.

Expected travel:

Minimum travel expected.

The consultant is required to attend any meetings specifically requested by the FMOH&SW, and FMBEP. However, domestic travel costs for activities outside Abuja will be covered by UNFPA, according to its established rules and guidelines. This includes transportation and per diem for missions related to data collection, stakeholder consultations, and co-facilitation of the national Inception workshops as outlined in the Terms of Reference (TORs).

Required expertise, qualifications and competencies, including language requirements:

• She/he must possess a postgraduate degree in Public Health, Midwifery, Nursing, or a related field.
• At least 5 years of experience in RMNCAEH+N programming, health systems strengthening, and/or health workforce planning.
• Demonstrated experience in conducting health situations and workforce analysis including programme design.
• Prior experience in developing investment cases and policy advocacy in low-resource settings is an added advantage.
• Knowledge of Nigeria’s health system and services, policies, and socio-cultural context.
• Excellent analytical, facilitation, and communication skills.
• Strong drafting and writing skills with attention to detail. 
• Computer literacy and proficiency in Microsoft Office and digital collaboration tools.

Inputs / services to be provided by UNFPA or implementing partner (e.g. support services, office space, equipment), if applicable:

UNFPA shall provide logistic support for field missions to designated states and workshop events in line with UNFPA Travel Policy.

 Other relevant information or special conditions, if any:

The Consultant shall be paid in line with UNFPA human resource policy.

Languages: 

• English Language

Required Competencies: 

Values:

• Exemplifying integrity, 
• Demonstrating commitment to UNFPA and the UN system, 
• Embracing cultural diversity, 
• Embracing change
  
   

Core Competencies: 

• Achieving results,
• Being accountable,
• Developing and applying professional expertise/business acumen,
• Thinking analytically and strategically,
• Working in teams/managing ourselves and our relationships
• Communication for impact

Managerial Competencies (if applicable):

• Providing quality program support and technical assistance
• Empowering and building trust among both internal/external partners and stakeholders
• Managing resources
• Making decisions and exercising
  
   
  
   

UNFPA Work Environment:

UNFPA provides a work environment that reflects the values of gender equality, teamwork, Embracing diversity in all its forms, integrity and a healthy balance of work and life. We are committed to maintaining our balanced gender distribution and therefore encourage qualified women to apply. UNFPA promotes equal opportunities for all including persons with disabilities. 

Disclaimer:

Selection and appointment may be subject to background and reference checks, medical clearance, visa issuance and other administrative requirements. 

UNFPA does not charge any application, processing, training, interviewing, testing or other fee in connection with the application or recruitment process and does not concern itself with information on applicants' bank accounts.