Consultancy mission to study the feasibility and pilot an insurance project aimed at mitigating human-elephant conflicts (HEC) in Gabon
Context
As part of its activities in Gabon, the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is responsible for implementing a project to support peaceful coexistence between humans and elephants in Gabon, in collaboration with the Ministry of Water and Forestry (MINEF) in charge of Human-Wildlife Conflict, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (MINAEDR), the NGO Space for Giants and local NGOs. This two-year project is funded by the Central African Forest Initiative (CAFI). The project was launched in Libreville on February 17, 2025 by His Excellency, Brigadier General Maurice Ntossui Allogo, Minister of Water and Forestry.
One of the strategic components of the project focuses on the feasibility of establishing an innovative elephant damage insurance mechanism to reduce human-elephant conflicts by compensating local communities for losses. The insurance mechanism will cover agricultural damage, property destruction, and injuries caused by elephants.
The establishment of an insurance mechanism will have to be structured around two major stages:
- Carrying out a feasibility study and identifying pilot sites for testing ;
- The implementation of a pilot insurance project adapted to the Gabonese context.
As part of this project, WCS therefore wishes to recruit a technical consultant responsible for conducting this feasibility study and supervising the pilot phase of the project.
General objective
The general objective of this service will be to provide technical support, based on the experience of the selected consultant, in order to define and implement an insurance mechanism throughout the Gabonese national territory, aimed at compensating for damage caused by elephants to crops, physical integrity and property of local communities.
Specific objectives
The consultant will have to carry out his/her mission according to two specific objectives, which
- Carrying out a feasibility study and identifying pilot sites for testing
The first objective will be to conduct a feasibility study to define the insurance mechanism and ensure its long-term viability and its adaptation to the Gabonese national context. To achieve this objective, the consultant will have to:
- Carry out a national market study adapted to the problem and the national context;
- Estimate the actuarial risks of the proposed system;
- Define the financial viability of such a mechanism in the short, medium and long term as well as its financing options.
Based on this feasibility study, the consultant will have to identify pilot sites in two different Provinces, in order to test this mechanism “in situ”.
Ultimately, this feasibility study should result in the proposal of an insurance product and a market structure, adapted to the Gabonese national context. Finally, the consultant will have to define the terms of implementation of the insurance product, as well as tools for monitoring its implementation and effectiveness.
- The implementation of a pilot insurance project adapted to the Gabonese national context
In a second phase, the consultant will be involved in the implementation of a pilot project, ensuring the design, deployment and monitoring of the insurance system. He/she will be responsible for ensuring that the defined mechanism allows for the implementation of compensation in a fair and rapid manner, and that the insurance system is adapted to the needs of local communities. Regular monitoring will be carried out to measure the effectiveness of the mechanism and to propose the necessary adjustments for a possible larger-scale deployment.
Start date and period of implementation of tasks
The estimated duration of the mission is 12 months in total, with separate phases for the study phase and the test phase on the pilot sites.
The consultant will have to formulate a proposal for a schedule established over 12 months of services. He will have to present the activities linked to his methodology and the results expected from his service.
Consultant Profile
- Demonstrated experience of at least five years in feasibility studies, insurance product design, or management of compensation mechanisms related to wildlife or agriculture;
- A good understanding and experience of (re)insurance as a risk mitigation tool for new and emerging risks in Africa.
- Knowledge of issues related to human-wildlife conflicts, ideally in Central Africa;
- Experience working with rural communities, local authorities and institutional partners;
- Ability to work in coordination with multiple stakeholders (Government, NGOs, private sector technical partners).
- Ability to work independently, manage deliverables and meet deadlines within a contractual framework.
- Excellent writing and analytical skills;
- Fluency in French is required, English is an asset.
- Good skills in writing technical documents and educational materials.
How to apply
Interested candidates, who meet the qualifications, abilities and experience encountered, can request the submission package from Maurice Youmbi, myoumbi@wcs.org, cc: emwizerwa@wcs.org with the following subject: “CAFI Insurance Expert Consultancy”
Deadline for requesting the call for proposals: October 6, 2025
Proposals must be submitted by October 13, 2025