Project Context and Scope
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), established in 1951, is the leading UN agency in the field of migration, dedicated to ensuring humane and orderly migration, promoting international cooperation, and providing humanitarian assistance to migrants in need. IOM commenced its operations in Nigeria in 2001 and has since supported the government and stakeholders to strengthen migration governance, policy development, and data management. With the increased movement of persons and goods over the past decades, IOM has actively assisted the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGoN) in improving immigration and border management structures, enabling the country to effectively manage cross-border flows and promote safe, orderly, and regular migration.
Nigeriaโs migration landscape is complex, serving as a major country of origin, transit, and destination within West Africa. Socio-economic drivers, irregular migration, trafficking in persons (TiP), and smuggling of migrants (SoM) present significant challenges for both migrants and communities. The lack of robust, data-driven migration governance has further complicated these issues, creating gaps between policy and the realities faced by vulnerable populations.
To address the complex challenges of migration in Nigeria, the International Organization for Migration (IOM), as the UN Migration Agency, with funding from the Migration Multi Partnership Trust Fund (MMPTF) has implemented the project โStrengthening Facts-Based and Data-Driven Migration Governance and Managementโ over 35 months (16 Feb 2023 โ 15 Feb 2026). This project was carried out in partnership with the Federal Government of Nigeria, with support from multiple ministries, departments, agencies, civil society organizations, and the UN Migration Network. The objective of the project is to โEnhance migration governance through investments in data collection, analysis, and evidence-based policy development, focusing on strengthening the institutional and operational capacities of key government stakeholdersโ. This intervention aims to enhance the capacity of government institutions to collect, analyse, and utilize migration data for evidence-based policy and decision-making. ย
The project supported the review of the National Migration Policy (NMP), the development of the National Implementation Plan for the Global Compact for Migration (GCM), and the strengthening of institutional frameworks for migration management. By bridging the gap between policy and the realities faced by migrants, especially those vulnerable to migration-related crimes such as trafficking in persons (TiP) and smuggling of migrants (SoM), the project contributed to more effective, coordinated, and responsive migration governance in Nigeria.ย
Scope
Timeframe: the entire implementation period from 16 February 2023 to 15 February 2026Thematic coverage: all project components, including policy development, data management systems, capacity-building activities, and stakeholder coordinationGeographic coverage: Abuja and other key states and agencies involved in migration governance. The evaluation data collection will be undertaken in person in Abuja, and where not feasible, remotely. The geographic scope will include all or a sample of the major implementing areas in Nigeriaย Stakeholders:ย Representatives of direct project beneficiary institutions, project implementation collaborators and government counterpart partners, and other relevant stakeholder institutions directly or indirectly benefiting from or involved in project implementation will be identified to participate in the evaluation as either respondents, guide, or members of the evaluation team in the spirit of participatory evaluation. Stakeholders targeted through the evaluation will inclide: Ministries Department and Agenciesย National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI)National Population Commission (NPC)National Bureau of Statistics (NBS)National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP)Federal Ministry for Labour and EmploymentCivil Society Organizationsย
Civil Society Network on Migration (CSOnetMADE)Network of Civil Society organizations against Child trafficking, Abuse and Labour (NACTAL)Women Trafficking and Child Labour Eradication Foundation (WOTCLEF)Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)Good Governance TeamAcademia
Centre for Migration Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, AwkaUsman Dan Fodio University, SokotoNetwork of Legal Experts on Migration in West/Central Africa (NoLEM)The evaluation will assess the performance of the project against the agreed-upon three project outcomes, namely:ย
Outcome 1: Strengthened migration data governance through enhanced institutional and operational capacity on migration data management.
Outcome 2: Enhanced migration management coordination and cooperation amongst stakeholders in line with National Migration Policy Principles and Frameworks
Outcome 3: The Global Compact on Migration Reflected in national migration plans and Strategies.ย
The review should also consider cross-cutting issuesย such as integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, and environmental sustainabilityย aspects of the interventions.
Evaluation purpose and objective
The primary purpose of this final evaluation is to assess the projectโs relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability in line with the IOM Evaluation Policy and the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria.
The evaluation will examine the projectโs design, implementation processes, and results achieved, including intended and unintended outcomes, with due consideration to cross-cutting principles such as integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, environmental sustainability. It will assess the projectโs contribution to institutional and national priorities, document achievements and challenges, and identify factors influencing performance. The evaluation will generate evidence-based lessons learned, good practices, and actionable recommendations to inform decision-making and strengthen the design, implementation, and delivery of current and future IOM interventions.
The specific objectives:
Assess the extent to which the project met its commitments as per the results framework, ensure accountability, and note any unmet or new needs.Assess how much the project has contributed or can contribute to broader outcomes and impact.Analyze the management of project resources, partnerships, and operational arrangements, and their influence on efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability.Identify best practices, lessons learned and propose actionable recommendations for future programming.Examine the extent to which IOM crosscutting priorities (integrity, transparency, accountability, equality, diversity & inclusion, protection-centred, environmental sustainability) were mainstreamed in design, implementation, monitoring and reporting.The findings and recommendations from the evaluation will be used by the following primary key stakeholders for distinct but complementary purposes:ย
IOM Nigeria โ Programme Improvement and Organizational Learning:ยThe evaluation findings will be used by IOM Nigeria to assess the performance of the project against its intended objectives and results. They will inform evidence-based decision-making for the design, implementation, and management of ongoing and future programmes, including the identification of lessons learned, good practices, and areas for improvement. The findings will also contribute to strengthening internal accountability and institutional learning within IOM.ย
Donors โ Value for Money and Funding Decisions:ยDonors will use the evaluation findings to assess the projectโs relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and value for money, as well as IOMโs accountability in the use of resources. The results will support informed funding decisions, guide future investment priorities, and provide assurance on the achievement of intended results in line with donor objectives and expectations.ย
Government counterparts will use the evaluation findings to understand the projectโs contribution to national migration governance priorities and policy frameworks. The evidence generated will support policy dialogue, inform the integration of successful approaches into national strategies and systems, and strengthen coordination and collaboration between IOM and government institutions.ย
Beneficiaries โ Accountability and Transparency:ยBeneficiaries and affected communities will benefit from the evaluation through increased transparency and accountability regarding project results and resource use. Where appropriate, key findings will be shared in accessible formats to promote awareness of project outcomes and to ensure that beneficiary perspectives are reflected in learning and future programming
Evaluation criteriaย
The evaluation will use the OECD-DACโs criteria: relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, sustainability, and coherence (to the extent possible) as well as IOMโs core crosscutting priorities (1) Integrity, Transparency and Accountability, 2) Equality, Diversity & Inclusion, 3) Protection-centred and 4) Environmental Sustainability will also be assessed to ascertain the extent of their mainstreaming in compliance with IOM Strategic Results Framework.
Evaluation questions
The following evaluation criteria questions are recommended; however, the evaluatorโs enrichment will be welcome. A final list of evaluation questions and sub-questions will be presented in the inception report delivered by the evaluator.
Evaluation Criteriaย
Evaluation Questions
Relevance:ย assessing to what extent the projectโs objective and intended results remain valid and pertinent either as originally planned or as subsequently modified.ย
ย
To what extent did the projectโs objectives and design respond to the actual needs and priorities of the Federal Government of Nigeria, migration agencies, and affected communities?How well did the project align with national migration policies, the National Migration Policy (NMP), and the Global Compact for Migration (GCM)?Were the projectโs strategies and activities appropriate for the context and challenges of migration governance and data management in Nigeria?Did the project remain relevant throughout implementation, especially in response to emerging migration trends or policy shifts?How effectively were the perspectives of direct and indirect beneficiaries (government, migrants, returnees, communities) incorporated into project design and adaptation?Effectiveness:ย assessing the extent to which the project achieves its intended results.ย
ย
To what extent were the planned outputs and outcomes achieved, as stated in the projectโs results framework?What were the main factors (internal and external) that facilitated or hindered the achievement of results?How effective were the capacity-building activities in improving stakeholdersโ knowledge and skills in migration data management and policy development?Did the project contribute to improved coordination among migration data management agencies and other stakeholders?Were there any unintended results (positive or negative), and how were they addressed?How effective were the projectโs monitoring and reporting mechanisms in tracking progress, informing decision-making, and supporting adaptative management?Sustainability: assessing to what extent the projectโs results will be maintained for a certain period of time after the current project has phased out.ย
ย
To what extent are the projectโs results likely to be sustained after project completion?What measures were put in place to ensure the continuation of project benefits (e.g., institutionalization, capacity building, policy adoption)?Have key stakeholders (government, agencies, communities) demonstrated ownership and commitment to sustaining project outcomes?Are there risks or barriers to sustainability, and how can they be mitigated?How well did the project plan for the transfer of knowledge, tools, and processes to local actors?Efficiency:ย assessing how well human, physical and financial resources are used to undertake activities, and how well these resources are converted into outputs.ย
ย
How well were project resources (human, financial, technical) utilised to achieve outputs and outcomes?Were project activities implemented in a timely and cost-effective manner?Were there any delays or budget overruns, and what were the causes?How efficient were the projectโs management, coordination, and communication structures?Did the project leverage existing partnerships, synergies, and resources to maximise value for money?Were there alternative approaches that could have delivered better results with the same or fewer resources?Impact:ย Positive and negative, intended or unintended, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by the project, directly or indirectly.
ย
What changes in migration governance, data management, and policy development can be attributed to the project?How did the project influence the capacity of government agencies and other stakeholders to collect, analyse, and use migration data for policy and planning?What evidence exists of improved migration outcomes for migrants, returnees, and affected communities as a result of the project?Did the project contribute to changes in attitudes, practices, or institutional frameworks related to migration governance?Are there any broader or longer-term effects (intended or unintended) that can be linked to the projectโs interventions?Cross-cutting priorities: IOM cross-cutting priorities and how they were mainstreamed.ย
How were integrity, transparency, and accountability promoted and maintained throughout the project?