Technical Assistant to the Rural Institutions Development Officer (SAPZ Programme)

Technical Assistant to the Rural Institutions Development Officer (SAPZ Programme) at Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones

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Sep 29, 2026, 8:07 AM

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The Ogun State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

is a vital government organ dedicated to enhancing food productivity, driving industrialisation, and improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers across Ogun State, Nigeria

Ogun State Program Implementation Unit of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Program invites applications from eligible candidates to fill the position below:

Job Title: Technical Assistant to the Rural Institutions Development Officer

Location: Idi-Aba Abeokuta, Ogun

Estimated Duration of the Assignment: twelve (12) months with the possibility of extension based on program needs, satisfactory performance and conduct

Background

The Ogun State Government through the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has secured a facility from the African Development Bank (AfDB), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) to implement a five-year AfDB/IFAD/ISDB-Assisted Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) Program in partnership with Private Investors.

The implementation of a government-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.

The SAPZ is made up of two building blocks which include the Agricultural Transformation Centres (ATCs), which are community-based rural institution within the host community, equipped with desirable infrastructure to create modern agro-processing environment where secondary value addition will take place.

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.

The seven (7) participating states of Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, Kwara, Oyo and Ogun as well as the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) in the first phase of program implementation.

This clustering approach is to help address investment challenges in the development of agro- processing enclaves across Nigeria, including poor 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 Agro-Industrial Processing Hub (AIH) will draw its processing feedstock from the ATCs where activities of the production clusters and Aggregation Centres are being coordinated.

Scope of Service and Responsibilities

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

Strategic and Technical Support:

Support the design and implementation of capacity-building programmes for FOs, cooperatives, MSMEs and MAFs, incorporating modules on business planning, financial management, climate resilience, gender mainstreaming, nutrition, and value addition (using tools such as GALS-Cender Action Leaming System-where applicable).

Facilitate the integration of rural institutions with ATCs, AlHs, and private sector actors for reliable feedstock supply, aggregation, and market linkages.

Assist in the development and updating of strategies, guidelines, operational manuals and toolkits for rural institutions development, including group formation, legal registration, governance structures, and sustainability frameworks.

Coordination and Implementation:

Coordinate the SPIUS related activities, ADPs' Rural Institution Development Departments, extension services, and service providers for the identification, mobilization, training, and strengthening of at least 3,000+FOs across participating states.

Liaise with state level financial institutions. NIRSAL, and other partners to enhance access to finance and de-risking mechanisms for rural institutions.

Organize and facilitate stakeholder workshops, training-of-trainers sessions, and field missions to promote inclusive participation (targeting 240% women-led or women-only groups and youth inclusion).7

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships:

Support the facilitation of inclusive dialogue platforms to negotiate contract 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.

Assist in mapping, profiling, and registering eligible rural institutions (cooperatives, farmer groups, etc.) for participation in the SAPZ value chains.

Financial Inclusion and Linkages:

Support implementation of financial literacy programmes.

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.

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting:

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.

Maintain a robust database (MIS) of all rural institutions engaged under the programme, including their governance structures, financial health, and production capacity.

Contribute to Programme Annual Work Plans and Budgets (AWPBS), quarterly progress reports, and other reporting requirements for AfDB, IFAD, ISDB, and FGN.

Support the RIDO in tracking key performance indicators (KPIs) related to rural institutions, such as number of farmers organized, volume of produce aggregated, percentage of women/youth-led enterprises, number of functional FOs, governance scores, member income increases, O&M fund contributions.

Prepare high-quality technical reports, quarterly progress reports, and briefs for the SRIDO, State Coordinator, and financing partners.

Other Duties:

Perform any other duties as may be assigned by the RIDO or State Programme Coordinator (NPC).

Represent the RIDO in technical meetings, steering committees, and donor missions as delegated.

Support the integration of cross-cutting themes (gender, youth, climate change, nutrition, and safeguards) into all rural institutions' activities.

Qualifications and Experience Required

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

Master's degree (or equivalent) in Rural Development, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, Development Studies, Sociology/Anthropology, or a related social science discipline.

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.

Proven track record in designing and implementing capacity-building programmes for smallholder groups, including experience with value chain development, market linkages, and financial inclusion (eg., FSA or VSLA models).

How to Apply

The proposals to be submitted by the candidates will be evaluated on the basis of the following technical criteria:

Making a total of 100 points.

Communication skills in English - 20 points

Competency and Experience in occupying similar Positions in any government or private organization 25 points

Appropriate skills and qualifications (academic record and general work experience) - 25 points

Similar Experience working with any donor funded project (AfDB and World Bank, IFAD, etc) - 30 points

Interested and eligible candidates should submit the following:

Resumes, description of similar assignments, experience in similar conditions, availability of appropriate skills, a written technical proposal (maximum 2 pages) and a financial proposal.

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

Ibrahim Busi Alao,

State Programme Coordinator (SPC),

Ogun SAPZ Office,

OGADEP Premises, Olabisi Onabanjo Way, Idi Aba,

Abeokuta, Ogun State.

Contact:

sapzogun@gmail.com

,

+2348069056536

,

+2348038606853

Note

Late submissions will NOT be accepted.

Eligibility criteria, establishment of the shortlist and selection procedure shall be in accordance with IFAD Procurement Procedures.

Interested Candidates may obtain further information at the address above during office hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (local time Mondays to Fridays)

Only candidates scoring a mark of 75 points or more will be considered for the respective assignment.

Only shortlisted candidate will be contacted.

Application Deadline:

13th October, 2026 at 12:00 noon local time.

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Ogun State and 2 other locations

Ogun State

,

Aba

,

Abeokuta