Consultant to Train Social Media Influencers in Sokoto and Bauchi States Individual Consultant

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON PLAN INTERNATIONAL

Plan International is an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls.

We believe in the power and potential of every child yet too often, this potential is suppressed by poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination. And its girls are among those most affected. By working together with children, young people, our supporters, and partners, we strive to create a just world, tackling the root causes of the challenges facing girls and all vulnerable children.

We support children’s rights from birth until they reach adulthood. And we enable children to prepare for, and respond to crises and adversity. We drive changes in practice and policy at local, national and global levels using our reach, experience and knowledge.

We have been building powerful partnerships for children for over 85 years, and are now active in more than 80 countries.

Read more about Plan International’s Nigeria’s Country Strategy to empower 20 million girls in Nigeria to take action and drive change at https://plan-international.org/nigeria/

BACKGROUND/CONTEXT

At Plan International Nigeria, strategic visibility is a core component of how we advance programme outcomes, strengthen stakeholder engagement, while reinforcing our commitment to sustainable, people-centered impact. In the context of of Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC), visibility helps amplify evidence-based interventions that influence attitudes, challenge harmful social and gender norms, and promote positive behaviours among adolescents, young people, and communities.

As digital platforms continue to shape opinions and behaviours, social media has become an increasingly important channel for development communication, particularly among young people. In Northern Nigeria, especially in Bauchi and Sokoto States, platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and WhatsApp play a growing role in how information is consumed and shared. However, communication in these contexts must be culturally sensitive, locally relevant, and accessible, including the use of Hausa and simplified English where appropriate.

Under the Global Affairs Canada (GAC)-funded Aspire project, Plan International Nigeria is implementing interventions that advance girls’ rights, education, protection, and empowerment. As part of the project’s SBCC strategy, there is a need to strengthen the capacity of selected social media influencers in Bauchi and Sokoto States to serve as credible digital advocates for approved project messaging. Leveraging trusted local influencers, particularly micro-influencers with strong community ties, can significantly enhance message reach, strengthen credibility, and support positive social and behaviour change outcomes.

To support this objective, Plan International Nigeria seeks to engage a qualified consultant with strong technical and creative expertise to train identified social media influencers across the two intervention states (Bauchi and Sokoto) on effective content creation and social media management for social media, while ensuring alignment with Plan International’s approved messaging, safeguarding standards, brand requirements, and communication dos and don’ts.

This engagement is intended to support the development of digital content that will;

• Promote positive sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) behaviours
• Challenge harmful social and gender norms
• Encourage positive masculinity
• Increase awareness and utilisation of Adolescent Corners as safe, confidential, and adolescent-friendly service delivery points

PURPOSE OF THE CONSULTANCY:

The purpose of this consultancy is to strengthen the capacity of selected social media influencers in Bauchi and Sokoto States to communicate Aspire Project messages accurately, responsibly, and effectively across digital platforms. The consultant will design and deliver a structured training and mentoring process that equips influencers with the practical skills, content development tools, and strategic understanding required to produce high-quality, culturally relevant, and audience-appropriate digital content aligned with Plan International Nigeria’s communication priorities.

The consultancy is expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• strengthened influencer understanding of Plan International Nigeria’s mandate, tone, safeguarding commitments, and campaign priorities
• improved message discipline, with influencers able to communicate agreed key messages clearly, accurately, and consistently across platforms
• responsible storytelling that reflects dignity, informed consent, and do-no-harm principles, especially when featuring children, survivors, or vulnerable communities
• stronger content quality, including improved structure, clarity, visual quality, captions, and calls to action aligned with campaign objectives
• increased ability to translate complex issues such as girls’ rights, education, protection, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) into simple, audience-friendly messages without misinformation or harmful framing

The Brand and Communications team will remain closely engaged throughout the process to provide guidance on messaging alignment, quality assurance, and overall communication coherence.

This consultancy will also support the development of digital content that:

• promotes adolescents’ and young people’s knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• encourages positive attitudes and behaviours related to SRHR
• increases awareness and utilisation of Adolescent Corners as safe, confidential, and adolescent-friendly service delivery points in Bauchi and Sokoto States

All content developed under this engagement must resonate with a wide range of audiences, including adolescents, young people, donors, partners, programme participants, and the general public, while clearly reflecting Plan International Nigeria’s values. The assignment must adhere to ethical, safeguarding, and child protection standards, and contribute to stronger SBCC visibility, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement under the Aspire Project.

RECOMMENDED TRAINING SCOPE

The consultant will design and deliver a practical, context-responsive training programme for selected social media influencers in Bauchi and Sokoto States. The training should equip participants with the knowledge, tools, and applied skills required to create accurate,engaging, and audience-appropriate content that aligns with Aspire Project priorities and Plan International Nigeria’s brand and communication standards. At the minimum, the training should cover the following areas;

• Plan International Nigeria brand and communication essentials: organisational voice and tone, visual standards, logo and brand use, and clear guidance on what is permissible and not permissible in public-facing content
• Messaging architecture and message discipline: approved key messages, message hierarchy, what to say and what not to say, audience segmentation, and call-to-action framing to ensure clarity, consistency, and alignment across platforms
• Narrative framing and content strategy: storytelling approaches that work across formats such as reels, carousels, threads, and short-form videos, including how to develop strong hooks, structure content effectively, and drive purposeful engagement
• Digital storytelling for behaviour change: how to translate themes such as girls’ rights, education, protection, positive masculinity, and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) into relatable, audience-friendly content that supports positive social and behaviour change
• Safeguarding and do-no-harm principles: informed consent, privacy, safe and dignified representation of children and communities, management of sensitive topics, and escalation protocols where necessary
• Accuracy and misinformation management: fact-checking basics, avoiding misquotes, preserving context integrity, source discipline, and reducing the risk of misinformation or harmful framing when communicating sensitive issues
• Content creation and production skills: practical guidance on scripting, caption writing, filming and editing basics, short-form video production, subtitling, accessible design, and inclusive language
• Audience engagement and community management: comment moderation, responding to sensitive questions, handling backlash, identifying harmful narratives, and applying appropriate referral pathways where required
• Content planning and campaign delivery: campaign calendar alignment, posting cadence, content sequencing, creative direction interpretation, and approval or review checkpoints
• Practical application: development of draft scripts, captions, sample posts, short-form video concepts, and mini content plans linked to ASPIRE Project priorities

To support measurement of training effectiveness and post-training performance, the training should also include a social media analytics and performance tracking component, covering:

• introduction to key platform metrics and what they mean
• how to track performance by post and by platform
• how to assess whether content is meeting communication objectives
• basic interpretation of analytics to improve future content decisions
• use of a simple reporting template to track reach, impressions, engagement, video views, completion rate, audience growth, and audience feedback themes

Overall, the training should be practical, output-oriented, and tailored to the digital realities of Bauchi and Sokoto States, with a clear focus on strengthening message quality, content effectiveness, responsible storytelling, and measurable behaviour-change communication outcomes.

POST-TRAINING OUTCOMES AND MEASUREMENT

To ensure that the training leads to measurable improvements in content dissemination and quality, the consultant will establish a practical post-training performance and reporting approach.

Following the training, influencers should be able to:

• develop and implement content dissemination plans aligned with campaign priorities
• create and publish content that reflects agreed messaging and quality standards
• track and report content performance consistently across platforms
• demonstrate improved confidence and competence in digital advocacy, storytelling, and responsible audience engagement

The consultant will:

• guide influencers to develop a post-training content dissemination plan, including platforms, timelines, content formats, and intended audiences
• provide simple analytics reporting template to be used consistently by all influencers
• ensure that the following minimum indicators are captured for each post, where applicable:
• reach/impressions
• engagements, including likes, comments, shares, and saves
• video views and completion rate
• link clicks/click-through rate, where links are used
• audience growth during the campaign period
• top-performing content type and key audience feedback themes

Reporting cadence:

• weekly reporting during the campaign activation period
• one consolidated endline summary at the close of the activation cycle

The consultant will also support the compilation of influencer reports into a summary dashboard or report showing:

• Total content produced and published
• Total reach and engagement across influencers
• compliance with approved messaging, brand, and safeguarding expectations
• level of message penetration across published content
• key lessons learned and recommendations for future influencer engagement cycles

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Consultant Responsibilities

The consultant will be responsible for the end-to-end design, delivery, mentoring, and reporting of the influencer training and content development process under the Aspire Project. The role is expected to strengthen the capacity of selected social media influencers to serve as credible digital advocates who can communicate project messages effectively, responsibly, and in ways that support Social and Behaviour Change Communication (SBCC) outcomes.

Specifically, the consultant will:

• Design the training approach: develop the training agenda, methodology, session materials, and facilitation tools in alignment with Plan International Nigeria’s communication standards, safeguarding expectations, and the Aspire Project objectives.
• Deliver technical training: facilitate practical sessions on digital advocacy, message discipline, narrative framing, content strategy, responsible storytelling, platform-specific content creation, audience engagement, and content planning.
• Strengthen message delivery: build influencers’ capacity to communicate approved ASPIRE key messages clearly, accurately, and consistently across digital platforms, while adapting content to audience needs and platform formats.
• Promote responsible content creation: ensure that influencers are guided to produce content that is culturally sensitive, audience-appropriate, and reflective of dignity, informed consent, and do-no-harm principles, particularly when addressing sensitive issues or featuring vulnerable groups.
• Enhance content production skills: strengthen influencers’ practical skills in scripting, caption writing, short-form video production, filming, editing, subtitling, and the development of engaging digital content, with particular emphasis on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram Reels.
• Lead practical content development: facilitate hands-on exercises and support influencers to produce draft scripts, captions, sample posts, short-form video concepts, and mini content plans aligned with campaign priorities.
• Provide tools and templates: develop and share participant resource packs, including key messages, content guidance, do’s and don’ts, sample content formats, and simple analytics reporting templates to support consistent content production and performance tracking.
• Strengthen engagement and misinformation response: guide influencers on comment moderation, audience interaction, managing backlash, responding to sensitive questions, and addressing misinformation or harmful narratives in ways that protect message integrity and audience trust.
• Ensure quality and alignment: ensure that all training content and influencer outputs remain evidence-informed, contextually relevant, and aligned with Plan International Nigeria’s voice, values, and communication expectations.
• Support behaviour change objectives: ensure that the training and subsequent influencer content contribute to promoting adolescents’ and young people’s knowledge of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), encouraging positive attitudes and behaviours related to SRHR, and increasing awareness and utilisation of Adolescent Corners as safe, confidential, and adolescent-friendly service delivery points in Bauchi and Sokoto States.
• Mentor influencers post-training: provide post-training mentoring and technical guidance to strengthen application of learning, improve content quality, and support influencers during the activation phase.
• Document and report results: submit a post-training report capturing participation, training outcomes, practical outputs developed, key risks or issues identified, lessons learned, recommendations, and next steps.

The consultant will ensure that all content developed by the trained influencers resonates with a wide range of audiences, including adolescents, young people, donors, partners, programme participants, and the general public, while clearly reflecting Plan International Nigeria’s values. All processes and outputs under this assignment must adhere to ethical, safeguarding, and child protection standards and contribute to strengthened SBCC visibility, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement under the Aspire Project.

DURATION OF ASSIGNMENT

Total duration: 20 working days including travel days (10 days in Bauchi (3 days training, 2 days report writing and 5 days mentoring) and 10days in Sokoto ((3 days training, 2 days report writing and 5 days mentoring))

A detailed implementation schedule will be agreed with Plan International Nigeria prior to commencement of the assignment.

COORDINATION AND REPORTING

The consultant will report to the Project Manager, Aspire Project, and work closely with the Brand and Communications team at Plan International Nigeria.

Throughout the assignment, the consultant will work closely with the Brand and Communications team and relevant programme staff to ensure that all training materials, practical outputs, and influencer-generated content align with Plan International Nigeria’s approved messaging, brand, and communication standards.

The consultant will ensure that all content created and shared by the social media influencers aligns with the Aspire project’s SBCC 13 thematic areas, which are:

1. The Right of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYWs) to make informed choices concerning sexual activity and say no when they mean no
2. Prevention against sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse.
3. Building confidence among (AGYWs) to seek Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) services including Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MPHSS) at the adolescents’ Friendly Centers.
4. Create awareness on the availability of (SRHR) services including Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services (MHPSS) at the adolescents Friendly Centres
5. Promote joint inclusive decision making among spouses in child spacing and when to have children.
6. Promote spousal communication in relation to accessing Child Spacing Services.
7. Discouraging Child Early and Forced Marriage
8. Creating awareness on proper management of menstrual hygiene
9. Promoting positive spousal support during pregnancy, labor and after delivery including birth preparedness.
10. Promote positive masculinity among adolescent boys and male community members.
11. Promote positive health provider attitudes towards (AGYWs) including those with disabilities and almajiris.
12. Promote safe spaces for (AGYWs) in school environment including increased access to SRHS information and services, availability of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) prevention mechanisms (policies/guidelines and reporting channels)
13. Portraying the impacts of Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA Adashen Gata) among older adolescents and women

In addition, the consultant will ensure that all training content aligns with Plan International Nigeria’s strategic priorities and thematic focus areas, including:

• Gender Equality
  • Child Rights and Protection
    • Education
    • Health and Nutrition
    • Youth Empowerment
    • Livelihoods and Economic Inclusion
    
    
  
  

CONSULTANT QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

The consultant/vendor must demonstrate the following qualifications and experience:

• proven experience in digital communications, social media strategy, or influencer engagement in Nigeria

  
  

• strong understanding of the socio-cultural context of Northern Nigeria, particularly Bauchi and Sokoto States

• demonstrated experience working with youth influencers, content creators, or digital advocates

  
  

• strong knowledge of major digital platforms, especially TikTok and Instagram, including short-form video trends and audience engagement approaches

• fluency in English, with Hausa proficiency considered a strong advantage

  
  

• prior experience working with NGOs, development projects, or social impact initiatives, particularly those focused on gender, youth, education, protection, or SRHR.

• demonstrated ability to work independently, manage multiple deliverables, and meet agreed timelines while adhering to quality, safeguarding, and ethical standards.

  
  

  CONTRACT & PAYMENT TERMS

• Please note that, if successful, Plan International’s standard terms of payment are within 30 days after the receipt of the invoice, or after acceptance of the Goods/Services/Works, if later.

  
  
  

  Additional information, along with all relevant annexes, can be accessed through this link: https://tinyurl.com/c3avapr3

CLARIFICATIONS

• All inquiries must be submitted to Tenderinquiry@plan-international.org

SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION

• All Applications must be submitted to Nigeria.procurement@plan-international.org. The submission email title should be captured as follows: PIN/CNSLT/026/006 – Influencer Training in Bauchi and Sokoto.
• All Applications must be received no later than 4th May, 2026.

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