The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) is hiring a National legal consultant in Abuja, Nigeria.
In Nigeria, UNICEF works in a complex humanitarian and development setting to fulfill and protect children’s rights in partnership with the government, civil society, children, and families.
UNICEF Nigeria is one of the largest UNICEF Country Offices globally .
Job Details
Purpose of Activity/Assignment:
The EU-UNICEF Strengthening Social Protection Systems (SUSI) Project supports the Government of Nigeria to strengthen the governance, coordination, and delivery of social protection programmes. A key priority under the project is to advance the development and enactment of a comprehensive Social Protection Bill, supported by coordinated advocacy and technical legal expertise.
The project aims to mobilize support among National Assembly members, state assemblies, government institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners to promote the adoption of a legal framework that institutionalizes social protection and ensures sustainable, child-sensitive and inclusive systems.
To support this process, UNICEF seeks to engage a National Legal Expert to provide technical legal analysis, support the drafting process, and contribute to advocacy efforts aimed at advancing the social protection bill at both federal and state levels.
The purpose of this consultancy is to provide legal and technical support to the advocacy and drafting process for a comprehensive social protection bill at Federal and 4 target states in Nigeria.
Specifically, the consultant will:
• Conduct mapping and analysis of existing legal and regulatory frameworks related to social protection at federal and state levels.
• Provide legal expertise to inform the drafting and review of social protection legislation.
• Support advocacy campaigns targeting the National Assembly and state assemblies, in collaboration with social protection partners.
• Provide legal advice on aligning the proposed legislation with international standards and national policy frameworks
How to Apply
Scope of Work
Under the supervision of the UNICEF Social Protection Specialist and in close collaboration with government counterparts and social protection partners, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:
1. Legal and Institutional Mapping
•Conduct a comprehensive review of existing legal and policy frameworks relevant to social protection in Nigeria.
•Map federal and state laws, bylaws, regulations, and institutional mandates affecting social protection programmes.
•Identify legal gaps, overlaps, and inconsistencies affecting the implementation of social protection interventions.
•Analyze alignment with social protection strategy framework at the National and State levels, international human rights and social protection standards (e.g., Social Protection Floors).
• Provide comparative analysis of social protection legislation from other countries where relevant.
2. Support with the Drafting of Social Protection Legislation
• Provide technical legal inputs to the drafting or revision of a Social Protection Bill.
• Ensure the draft legislation clearly defines:
-Institutional mandates
-Financing arrangements
-Governance structures
-Accountability mechanisms
-Eligibility principles and inclusion of vulnerable populations.
-Contribute to communication materials explaining the legal and institutional value of the proposed legislation.
3. Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement
• Provide legal briefs and talking points for engagement with National Assembly committees and state assemblies.
• Support multi-stakeholder consultations and technical discussions with government, civil society, and development partners.
• Contribute to communication materials explaining the legal and institutional value of the proposed legislation
Work Assignment Overview
Tasks/Milestone:
1.Inception and Legal Scoping
• Review existing policy and legal frameworks related to social protection in Nigeria
• Identify key federal and state legal instruments affecting social protection.
• Conduct initial consultations with UNICEF, government counterparts and development partners.
Deliverables/Outputs
Inception Report including methodology, workplan, stakeholder engagement strategy and advocacy approach.
Preliminary Legal Mapping Note identifying key laws, regulations and policy instruments relevant to social protection.
2. Comprehensive legal analysis
• Conduct detailed review of legal and institutional frameworks governing social protection at federal and selected state levels
• Identify legal gaps, inconsistencies and overlaps affecting implementation
Deliverables/Outputs
Comprehensive Legal Framework Mapping Report covering federal and state legislation relevant to social protection.
Gap Analysis Brief.
3. Drafting Support and Technical Legal Advice
• Provide legal inputs to the drafting or revision of the Social Protection Bill
• Support technical working group discussions and consultations with government stakeholders
• Develop legal briefs to support legislative discussions
Deliverables/Outputs
Technical Legal Input to Draft Social Protection Bill (annotated comments or revised provisions).
Legal Brief for Policy Makers explaining key provisions and legal rationale of the bill.
Requirements
Minimum requirements:
Advanced university degree (Master’s or higher) in Law, Public Law, Constitutional Law, Public Policy, or related field.
Minimum 10 years of professional experience in legal analysis, legislative drafting, or public policy.
Demonstrated experience working on public administration, social protection and labour law, and human rights legislation.
Experience engaging with legislative processes in Nigeria, including the National Assembly or state assemblies.
Proven experience working with government institutions, development partners, or international organizations.
Familiarity with international social protection frameworks and standards is an asset.
The UNICEF competencies required for this post are…
(1) Builds and maintains partnerships
(2) Demonstrates self-awareness and ethical awareness
(3) Drive to achieve results for impact
(4) Innovates and embraces change
(5) Manages ambiguity and complexity
(6) Thinks and acts strategically
(7) Works collaboratively with others
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.
