Call for applications: Lead Research Consultant on Movable Collateral Registries in Africa

AFRACA is commissioning research on how the design of movable collateral registries drives their use and expands credit to SMEs, smallholder farmers and agribusinesses in Africa. We are recruiting a lead research consultant to carry it out.

Why this research

Lenders across the continent still ask for titled land and buildings as security. Rural and agricultural enterprises more often hold equipment, vehicles, livestock, inventory, stored crops and receivables. A movable collateral registry makes those assets usable as security, but results differ sharply between countries. Ghana's central bank registry has recorded over 1.4 million registrations since 2010, while new registrations in Zambia fell from 2,254 in 2017 to 773 in 2019.

The research follows the Harare Roundtable Policy Brief (March 2026) and our bilateral consultations with the Governors of more than 15 central banks in Nairobi in September 2026, where collateral registries came up as a priority.

The assignment

The consultant will design the research instruments, collect data across at least 15 countries through central bank focal persons, and carry out fieldwork in five use-case countries: Ghana, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ethiopia and Nigeria. Over five months the work produces a regional policy brief, a country advisory note for each partner central bank, an awareness and utilization toolkit, and the Collateral Registries Continental Framework for Financial Inclusion.

Who should apply

Candidates need an advanced degree in economics, finance, law, development studies, ICT or a related field, and at least 10 years of experience in financial sector policy, secured transactions, or rural and agricultural finance in Africa. Experience leading multi-country research and working with central banks or regulators is essential.

How to apply

Interested consultants are requested to submit the following documents to afraca@africaonline.co.ke by 31 October 2026:

• Curriculum vitae (CV);
• A technical note of no more than two pages outlining the proposed approach, including how fieldwork in up to five countries will be undertaken;
• A financial proposal indicating the proposed daily professional fee in US dollars; and
• Two samples of comparable work.

Kindly use “Lead Research Consultant – Collateral Registries” as the subject line of your submission. For any clarification, please contact the AFRACA Secretariat at afraca@africaonline.co.ke or +254 726 080 454.

The concept note and full terms of reference are available below.