Promoting the economic inclusion of refugees

Across four countries in West and Central Africa - Burkina Faso, Nigeria, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo  - millions of refugees, internally displaced persons (IDPs), and returnees live in conditions of economic marginalisation, with limited access to labour markets, productive value chains, and income opportunities. To address this gap and support the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees, the UNHCR Regional Bureau for West and Central Africa commissioned Lattanzio KIBS to carry out a comprehensive multi-country sectoral assessment, valued at over USD 342,000, launched in February 2026 and spanning six months.

More details

The project, delivered entirely by a team of eight Lattanzio KIBS experts, aims to identify economically sustainable pathways for the inclusion of displaced populations across three priority sectors - agriculture, renewable energy, and digital services - and to produce country-specific business cases capable of attracting private sector investment.

The assignment is structured around three integrated phases. The Inception Phase covers the development of the analytical framework, quality assurance procedures, and work plan, along with the identification of the most relevant productive value chains - within the three macro-sectors - for the geographic areas where refugees and IDPs are concentrated, taking into account settlement typologies: formal camps, informal settlements, individual accommodation, and rural or urban contexts.

The Data Collection Phase combines national-level desk research with a structured stakeholder engagement process, including online surveys to gather economic and operational indicators, key informant interviews with tailored guides for each stakeholder category (regulators, businesses, financial institutions, humanitarian actors), focus group discussions to explore community-level dynamics, and direct field observations to understand value chain functioning and the interaction between displaced communities and local markets.

The Analysis and Reporting Phase consolidates and triangulates quantitative and qualitative data, translating findings into market systems analyses, feasibility assessments, business cases, and final reports with operational recommendations.

Project Impact

The project delivers evidence-based sectoral diagnostics that enable UNHCR and its partners to identify realistic investment opportunities, design targeted interventions, and engage private sector actors in support of the economic inclusion of displaced populations. Expected outputs - including market systems maps, feasibility assessments, and country-specific business cases - are designed to inform strategic decision-making across four highly complex operating contexts.

Lattanzio KIBS brings added value through its ability to ensure methodological consistency across countries while maintaining contextual depth through national experts, the robustness of its quality assurance framework, and its capacity to translate complex data into practical tools for public-private dialogue. The project directly contributes to the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees, strengthening UNHCR's sustainable response across West and Central Africa.