Advisor – Communication and Digital Governance at GIZ Nigeria

GIZ NigeriaAbuja, Nigeria Digital Marketing

Full Time

International cooperation between Germany and Nigeria commenced in 1974. GIZ was initially represented by an office in Lagos until 2003, but since 2004 it has maintained a country office and four project offices in the new capital Abuja. At present, GIZ has around 25 seconded staff, 100 Nigerian and regional experts, and four CIM experts working in Nigeria. Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and has a population of 175 million, making it the continent’s most populous country. With a young, highly motivated and growing population, abundant natural resources and an increasingly diversified economy, Nigeria is not only a regional power but also an increasingly significant political player on the African continent and in the world. However, Nigeria faces major challenges. So far, its substantial oil revenues have had little impact on poverty. More than two-thirds of the population still live in extreme poverty and unemployment remains high. Sustainable economic and social development is hampered by corruption and by regional, ethnic, religious and social differences and the associated conflicts, which sometimes lead to attacks and unrest. As agreed between the Nigerian and German Governments, GIZ’s activities since 2002 have focused on sustainable economic development. GIZ is also engaged in the energy sector, agriculture and regional integration. The 'Pro-poor Growth and Employment Promotion in Nigeria’ (SEDIN) programme aims to increase income-generating employment in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), and improve access to financial services. The programme is currently being implemented in Abuja and in Niger, Ogun and Plateau states. The Nigerian and German Governments also cooperate in the energy sector. On behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GIZ provides advisory services to Nigerian partners on topics such as rural electrification, energy efficiency and renewable energies, and is contributing to the success of the Nigeria-German Energy Partnership (NGEP) as well. GIZ provides support to the ECOWAS Commission (Economic Community of West African States) in Abuja, focusing on the management, implementation and monitoring of ECOWAS decisions on economic and trade policy, and peace and security. In addition, two regional programmes focusing on agriculture are under way in Nigeria. The first aims to promote African rice value chains; the second builds the capacities of market-oriented small-scale farming. The purpose of both programmes is to achieve sustainable improvements in the livelihoods and food security of poor farmers in Nigeria and other West African countries. A distinctive feature of GIZ’s activities in Nigeria is the high level of cofinancing obtained from other sources, primarily the European Union (EU) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. These additional funds make it possible to broaden the scope and intensity of the programmes being implemented on behalf of the BMZ, boosting the effectiveness of German development cooperation with Nigeria.

Vacancy No. 061

A key component is promoting strategic communication to counter misinformation and disinformation, enhancing public trust and the legitimacy of ECOWAS institutions. This includes capacity-building for staff, modernizing communication structures, and integrating digital tools, such as social media analysis, into institutional workflows. The project, following a Team Europe Approach, is co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the European Union (EU), and Spanish Cooperation (AECID). It is implemented by GIZ and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission, spanning January 2024 to December 2026 with a financial volume of EUR 14.9 million.

Responsibilities

The Advisor – Communication and Digital Governance will:

Develop regional and national strategies to combat online and offline disinformation.
Facilitate multi-stakeholder platforms for fact-checking and public awareness.
Create capacity-building tools for media, civil society, and government actors to enhance digital literacy and resilience to information manipulation.
Provide technical input for policies on platform governance, content moderation, data protection, and algorithmic transparency.
Support ECOWAS in aligning with continental and global standards, such as the Global Digital Compact.
Engage with regional ICT regulators, civil society, and platforms to improve regulatory coherence and rights-based digital governance.
Monitor global trends in generative AI, regulation, and information manipulation to inform ECOWAS responses.
Promote local AI and innovation ecosystems to support democratic resilience and access to trustworthy information.
Contribute to the organizational development of ECOWAS units focused on communication and digital governance.
Support the development of long-term institutional frameworks for strategic communication, digital engagement, and platform oversight.

Tasks

The Advisor – Communication and Digital Governance will:

Provide strategic and technical advisory services to the ECOWAS Commission on countering misinformation and disinformation, enhancing institutional resilience, communication capacities, and public trust.
Design and implement inclusive, gender-responsive digital governance frameworks and policy dialogues on platform accountability, algorithmic transparency, and digital rights within the ECOWAS context.
Collaborate with ECOWAS directorates to strengthen internal coordination and policy coherence on digital governance and information integrity.
Co-develop strategies for integrating emerging technologies, such as AI, into communication workflows, policy design, and data analysis.
Develop and implement capacity-building measures for ECOWAS staff and regional partners, including training on strategic communication, AI literacy, fact-checking, and combating digital threats.
Establish digital tools and data-driven approaches to monitor public discourse, analyze disinformation trends, and enhance ECOWAS’s digital outreach.
Draft technical papers, analytical briefs, talking points, and background notes on disinformation, digital platform governance, AI, and innovation in the ECOWAS region.
Coordinate with stakeholders (civil society, media, tech actors, development partners) to foster regional cooperation and multi-stakeholder dialogue on digital governance and responsible innovation.
Participate in monitoring, evaluation, and learning activities for the Strategic Communication and Digital Governance component and contribute to reporting.
Manage consultants, service providers, and vendors, ensuring quality and compliance with project objectives and GIZ standards.
Support knowledge management by documenting good practices, success stories, and lessons learned in strategic communication, platform governance, and digital innovation in West Africa.
Perform additional duties as required to support the overall OD project objectives.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

Qualifications

MSc/MBA in digital policy, political science, law, media studies, innovation, international relations, or a related field.

Professional Experience

Minimum of 5 years of experience in strategic communication, digital governance, or combating disinformation.
At least 2 years of experience fostering partnerships with civil society, media, and regional institutions for early detection and rapid response to disinformation campaigns.
Proven experience providing technical input for policy briefs and regional frameworks on information integrity and digital governance.
Strong understanding of digital governance, AI policy, and platform regulation.
Familiarity with West Africa’s political, digital, and media landscape and relevant policy/regulatory frameworks.
Experience applying a gender-sensitive or intersectional lens to digital policy, communication strategies, or technology interventions, promoting inclusive approaches that address the impact of disinformation on women and marginalized groups.
Experience facilitating regional dialogues and multi-stakeholder cooperation in a sensitive and inclusive manner.

Other Knowledge and Competencies

Professional proficiency in two ECOWAS official languages (English, French, or Portuguese).
Strategic thinking with a strong grasp of the intersection of technology, governance, democracy, and human rights.
Cultural sensitivity and experience working in multilingual, diverse regional environments.
Commitment to gender equality, diversity, and inclusive digital development.
Experience with international and donor organizations, including GIZ.
Excellent skills in data analysis, copy editing, writing, research, oral and written presentation, interpersonal communication, and high integrity.