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Terms of Reference (ToR)

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June 17, 2025

Formulation & Publication s of Articles on Naira-Based Concessionary Loan for RE Projects & Low-Income Electricity End-Users

 1: Background

The Renewable Energy Association of Nigeria (REAN), with support from Heinrich Böll Stiftung (HBS), is implementing a project on Policy Brief Development (PBD) focused on promoting Naira – based concessionary loans to accelerate renewable energy (RE) deployment for both clean energy project developers targeting last-mile electrification consumers and consumer-financing for bottom of the pyramid (BoP), women-led businesses and undeserved green electricity end-user. A critical part of this project includes commissioning article writers to produce well-researched and engaging pieces that explore barriers and propose actionable solutions to expand the instrument-base for local currency concessional lending in Nigeria’s  RE sector.

2: Objective
To commission a series of articles that unpack the regulatory, commercial, technical, legal, financial, and institutional barriers affecting the uptake of naira-based concessionary loans for  RE projects, and to propose evidence-based, practical solutions. These articles will contribute to public discourse, inform advocacy, and support high-level engagements with financial and policy making institutions. 

3: Scope of Work

The selected writer will be required to:

1. Develop a 1000 to 1500-word article that:

  1. Explores the current landscape and challenges of accessing existing naira-based concessional financing and or new ones to be proposed and introduced in Nigeria’s RE sector.
  2. Analyze’s barriers such as inadequate capitalization of banking and other domestic lending institutions, risk profile of RE developers (most of whom are early-stage enterprises), limited return on investments (ROI) of most social-impact oriented RE  projects,  nascency of the RE market, insufficient understanding about RE business models by mostlenders and limited financial sector interest in the industry.
  3. Offer’s well-supported, actionable recommendations (policy, refined existing or new structural, and or financial instruments) to improve access to a wider variety of concessionary naira-based RE financing, particularly for women and low-income consumer segments.
  4. Incorporate’s relevant data, local and international case studies, and gender-dis-aggregated perspectives.

2. Ensure the article is well-structured, data-driven, and policy-relevant.  It should be written in an engaging, reader-friendly style, understandable to both technical and non-technical audiences. Furthermore, it should also be reflective of Nigeria’s unique socioeconomic and financial context.

3. Publish the article on at least one credible online news or development-focused platforms with domestic, regional, and or global reach.

4. Provide REAN with the following:

  1. The final article in editable format.
  2. Link(s) to the published article (this will be used as Key Performance Indicators).
  3. A brief summary of outreach or engagements generated by the publication (if any).

4: Deliverables

1. Draft article for REAN’s review and feedback

2. Final version incorporating and adopting REAN’s feedback

3. Published online link(s)

4. Brief post-publication report.

5: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

1. Article length and quality (between 1,000 – 1,500 words) that meets REAN standards of evidence and clarity.

2. Relevance and practicality of recommendations presented.

3. Incorporation of gender dimensions and local case examples.

4. Publication of article on one or more credible online platforms.

5. Submission of valid links and brief reporting on reach/impact (if applicable)


6: Eligibility Criteria

  1. Proven experience in policy writing, journalism, or research within the energy or finance sector.
  2. Demonstrated ability to distill complex financial and regulatory concepts for a broad audience.
  3. Experience in gender-inclusive energy access or development policy is an added advantage.
  4. Capacity to meet deadlines and work independently.

7: Application Process

Interested applicants should submit:

A pitch (max 300 words) outlining the intended article focus and approach

A writing sample (published work preferred)

A brief outline (bullet points) of the proposed article structure

All expressions of interest should be submitted electronically to <jobs.hr@rean.org.ng> with the subject line: EOI – Formulation & Publication of Articles on Naira-Based Concessionary Loans. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted for further discussion.

Application Closing Date: June 30, 2025 

Timeline

Start Date: July 1, 2025

End Date: July 31, 2025