Assessment of digital payment and data processing infrastructures in Niger

REPUBLIC OF NIGER

NATIONAL AGENCY FOR THE INFORMATION SOCIETY

INTELLIGENT VILLAGES PROJECT

FOR THE GROWTH OF RURAL ZONES AND DIGITAL INCLUSION (PVI)
EXPRESSION OF INTEREST NOTICE N ° 0012/2021 / PVI / UGP

NOTICE OF SOLICITATION OF EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST FOR THE SELECTION OF A CONSULTING FIRM FOR AN EVALUATION OF DIGITAL PAYMENT AND DATA PROCESSING INFRASTRUCTURES IN NIGER

Introduction The Republic of Niger has obtained funding from the World Bank / IDA for the implementation of the PVI / ANSI, and intends to use part of the funds for the recruitment of a Firm (or Consulting Firm) for the ‘Study below.

I. Objectives and scope of the mission

The general objective of the study is to: i) Provide a precise description of the functionalities, quality, security levels and degree of openness of the payment and digital data processing infrastructures that are planned to be mobilize and use as part of the activities of component 3 of the Project (Digital Financial Inclusion). ii) Identify any changes and improvements to be made and the associated costs, iii) Identify the infrastructures, platform offerings and technologies not available on the Nigerien market but necessary for the activities of component 3 and which will need to be developed or improved. ” acquire external suppliers and provide the associated costs. iv) Formulate recommendations on the various technological options possible with a presentation of their respective advantages and disadvantages and an estimate of their costs.

II.Tasks to be carried out

1.The tasks to be performed are presented below for each activity planned in the project requiring the use of a digital infrastructure, the nature of which is specified for each case. If this turns out to be appropriate, the infrastructures that will be identified and assessed may be common to several types of payment. The Cabinet will have to formulate specific recommendations to this effect. • Digitization of payments made by producers for the purchase of fertilizers from approved distributors • Digitization of payments received by producers (farmers and / or breeders) for the proceeds of the sale of their production / livestock within several chains of value. • Digitization of merchant payment in rural areas. • Creation of a digital data platform that will include a credit assessment system and an e-KYC register.

III.Profile of the Consultant

1.The Identified Consultant must be a consultancy (Firm) of international reputation, with experience in the fields of financial inclusion, payments but above all experience in the creation of digital platforms, in KYC, in credit rating, and / or agricultural trading platform. The firm must have carried out at least two (02) missions of a similar nature and scope (certificates of good execution to be provided) over the past 10 years. Interested firms should provide information indicating that they are qualified to perform the services (description of similar tasks undertaken, availability of appropriate skills among staff, etc.).

More specifically, the consultancy firm and the proposed team must demonstrate that they present the following profile: -Very good understanding and knowledge of the architecture of ICT and information security with regard to the sector and the payment systems, including knowledge of the latest technological trends and new initiatives used in the digital payments space. -Experience in carrying out ICT infrastructure needs assessments and designing an ICT architecture for complex projects as well as a good knowledge of the costs of such infrastructure. – Proven experience in reforming government payments. Experience in evaluating software, payment systems and other systems essential to the digitization of government payments. -Proven experience working with banks, microfinance institutions, payment system and service providers, and mobile phone operators offering mobile money services. Knowledge of their technical and technological architecture. -Very good understanding of how to design user experiences that simplify use and improve adoption of digital payment channels. -Ability to develop an in-depth understanding of the social and economic behaviors and context of users who receive government payments. Good understanding of the diversity of financial and digital knowledge, access to mobile phones, access to the banking system and social barriers. -Very good general understanding of financial inclusion and digital finance, AML / CFT, personal data protection issues. -Knowledge of the Nigerien context or similar context. -Strong client focus through a proven ability to learn quickly and adapt to client needs and country and project context. Ability to work in a multicultural context. -Excellent ability to produce high quality reports. -Languages: the document must be produced in French or English – but must be translated into French.

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