Non-state Services Providers/SMEs Mapping Consultancy

Chemonics seeks a consultant to conduct Mapping of WASH Non-State Services Providers/Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for the LUWASH activity in Lagos state, Nigeria. The Consultant will provide short-term technical assistance to support the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) in identifying, mapping, organizing, and strengthening the various private and informal water and sanitation service providers in Lagos to comply with statutory regulatory functions and provide effective services.

This short-term service of 30 days between February and March 2024 is to identify and locate private and informal water and sanitation service providers in Lagos (including coverage areas for estates and pro-poor communities), classify the service providers in order of respective roles and functions (water supply, sanitation, and/ or water quality or wastewater management) and to sensitize and create awareness of private water and sanitation service providers to understand and comply with statutory regulatory mandate of LASWARCO.

Background

The USAID-funded Lagos Urban WASH Activity (LUWASH) is a five-year program which seeks to expand and improve urban WASH service delivery and infrastructure in Lagos.

LUWASH is implementing activities focused on strengthening governance, increasing accountability, and improving financial and technical capabilities of public water utilities and private sector providers. LUWASH’s goal is to increase the availability, quality and use of safe water and sanitation services and improve the governance and sustainable management of associated sector institutions in Lagos Nigeria. Through an integrated, market-based approach, LUWASH works across the value chain of WASH services to bolster supply and manage demand within a strengthened framework of sector governance, financing, and regulated services. The activity aims to catalyze sector transformation and generate WASH service improvements for at least 4 million people in low-income communities and build a foundation for continued progress beyond LUWASH.

Purpose

Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) Sector acknowledges that close to 70% of households in Lagos source their water from avenues remote from the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC). Accordingly, LUWASH recognizes the reality that LWC and Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) are unable to meet the WASH services needs of the state alone, hence the critical role of NSPs. The significant space occupied by NSPs strengthens the need for comprehensive regulatory oversight. A dynamic private sector and well-coordinated and regulated NSPs will be an engine for change, promoting highly responsive, accountable services within an effective market-based system. However, there is currently little collaboration between public institutions such as LASWARCO and the private sector to drive equitable service improvements. This situation precipitates the challenge of inadequate data, as services from NSPs are largely unregulated, resulting in wide disparities in affordability, quality, and reliability of services. The risk of unsustainable and unsafe exploitation of water sources to provide these services is increased, leaving consumers at the mercy of operators with little or no regulatory oversight.

LUWASH, through the services of the Consultant, will support LASWARCO to facilitate mapping of the private and informal service providers, ensure they are suitably identified and located, organized and strengthened for effective service provision. The assignment will focus on identifying private, community based, and other informal water and sanitation service providers within Lagos cities including pro-poor communities, organized estates, and institutions. The mapping of service areas and locations of various operators within the State metropolis is an integral component of the assignment.

Reporting

The role will be based in Lagos state and the consultant will report directly to the Governance and Regulatory Lead (GRL) under the overall supervision of the Chief of Party (COP). The consultant will be allowed to work remotely for agreed specified periods and needs to be available in the field and office as may be required by LUWASH. An overview of the role and skills required are noted below.

Specific Tasks

• Conduct desk review of relevant literature of previous studies on WASH Non-State Service Providers (NSPs)/ SMEs in Lagos with a view to having a broader understanding of their existence, service types, geographic coverage, and nature of customers served etc.
• Engage with targeted sector institutions in Lagos – ministries of energy and mineral resources, environment, and water resources; LWC, LASWARCO, and LSWMO to generate information that will enhance the conceptualization of the charter.
• Engage in Kick-Off Meeting (KoM) with LUWASH in Lagos to discuss expectations and clarify any ambiguity on the assignment.
• With the support of LUWASH, facilitate initial meeting with LASWARCO to discuss the approach and modalities for conducting the mapping exercise including timelines, tools, and resources requirements etc.
• In coordination with LUWASH Team, engage with WASH institutions in Lagos (MOEWR, LWC, LASWARCO, and LSWMO) to generate preliminary context information that will complement outcome of mapping the NSPs/SMEs in the State.
• Work with LASWARCO Focal Person and other teams to roll-out mapping exercise to include but not limited to the following activities:

Inventory and details of WASH NSPs/ SMEs; Name, contact, office location (using GPS to generate Latitude and Longitude), areas of operations (including coverage areas for SMEs providing piped water and sewage services) type of service, System/facilities type (category and number of customers and general modus operandi etc.

• Conduct analysis of field data and drafting of findings report
• Present initial findings to LUWASH and subsequently with LASWARCO for comments/ observations.
• Present final findings with a wider stakeholder group including both states (MOEWR, LASWARCO, LWC, and LASWMO) and the non-state actors (NSPs/ SMEs). This presentation is to receive comments and / or any observations. The strategy to achieve this may be discussed between the STTA and LUWASH.
• Update comments based on stakeholders’ contributions and share final findings with LUWASH.
• Perform any other scope related function (s) as may be required by LUWASH.

Expected Deliverables

• An inception report detailing methodology/ approach and tools including a well-defined work plan and resources requirements. A proposed reporting structure for the mapping assignment should be included.
• A draft report of the mapping of WASH NSPs/ SMEs in Lagos.
• A final report on the mapping of WASH NSPs/ SMEs in Lagos.

Qualification and Experience

1. An advanced university degree in urban and regional planning, sociology, demography, geography, governance, or any related field.
2. At least 10 years of working experience in the field of urban management, socio-demographic mapping with extensive knowledge of water and sanitation governance.

• Experience in conducting assessment and / or mapping of social and service provision in the context of urban setting.

1. Experience in conducting complex operational research for development.
2. Experience in conducting organizational capacity assessment and development of capacity building plans to strengthen development institutions.
3. Proven experience in conducting urban mapping exercise using GIS approaches.

• Strong Communication and ICT skills including use of MS computer software (word, excel, power point, and analytical tools for data analysis and modelling)
• Experience as a WASH corporate/ business-oriented practitioner.

1. Experience in Public, Private, Partnership initiatives.
2. Good knowledge of, and experience in gender and inclusion related activities.
3. Proven experience in organizing high level meetings/ engagements and dealing with diverse water related multi-sectoral stakeholders.

• Experience in liaising with a broad spectrum of senior management in public service and administration including non-state development actors is of great advantage.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and to coordinate input from a variety of actors.
• Experience of working in similar assignment in Lagos is of great advantage.

1. Excellent analytical writing skills in English language.

Duration of Assignment

• 30 days between February and March 2024.

Location of Assignment

• This assignment will take place in Lagos, Nigeria with no relocation assistance.