Monitoring

Robust and timely monitoring systems that support near real-time decision-making, adaptation and learning are critical to effective and efficient development programming. NIRAS has extensive experience both in the context of delivering monitoring services as part of implementation and providing external, third-party monitoring functions. We help partners strengthen their results-based monitoring systems and meet donor reporting requirements by developing robust but easy-to-use monitoring frameworks (such as logframes, results frameworks and monitoring protocols), management information systems (for instance, our in-house solution SmartME) and dashboards (PowerBI, Tableau).

We are intentional about including perspectives on gender equality, diversity, and human rights principles in our monitoring approaches. When appropriate, we combine traditional monitoring approaches with data analytics and digital technology tools to support data collection, analysis and visualisation. We have experience of using innovative digital technology, such as satellite and remote sensing, natural language processing, machine learning, web-crawling, and integrated data visualisation to overcome data collection challenges.

Read more about our digital tools for monitoring

Context monitoring and MEL in fragile and conflict-affected situations

NIRAS has extensive experience conducting MEL assignments in fragile and conflict-affected areas in Sub-Saharan and Northern Africa (Sahel region, Lake Chad Basin, Gulf of Guinea, Central Africa, Great Lakes region, and Libya), Eastern Europe (Ukraine and Georgia), the Middle East (Syria and Lebanon) and Asia (Afghanistan and Myanmar).

We have developed an approach and skillset for monitoring and MEL in fragile contexts, involving:

  • Embedding conflict-sensitivity into MEL processes
  • Strengthening MEL systems and capacities
  • Identifying perceptions and needs of vulnerable women, men, boys and girls at the grassroot level
  • Producing bottom-up, evidence-based analysis designed to inform programming and implementation processes
  • Producing conflict and security analyses
  • Working with local networks of vetted and trained data collection partners
  • Documenting local situations through directly accessing all groups of populations in the selected regions

NIRAS’ work in fragile contexts is designed to feed into different set of deliverables, e.g. feasibility studies, (pre-deployment) training, mid-term and final evaluations, (third-party) monitoring, policy and security notes. It is also directly accessible to a wider audience through dedicated and secure interactive dashboards. To collect credible and useful data, NIRAS places strong emphasis on systematically assessing the quality of the collection work in real-time, through dedicated and tailored tools (in-situ and remote supervision, triangulation, training, etc.). Particular attention is also given to the security of the field teams and safety of local respondents and population groups. Comprehensive duty of care policies and dedicated security protocols and training are fully integrated.

Training of monitoring agents, enumerators, supervisors and back stoppers

Training enumerators and supervisors for deployment in fragile areas is essential for the success of monitoring projects. NIRAS is developing comprehensive and dedicated training modules for each assignment. The training covers quantitative methodology, including working on questionnaires, translating questions into local languages, and understanding sampling methods to ensure representative data collection. It also emphasizes preventing bias to maintain data integrity. Additionally, enumerators and supervisors teams are also familiarised with qualitative methodology, such as conducting focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews, which are crucial for gaining deeper insights into community perspectives. Security training is another critical component, focusing on navigating fragile environments safely, understanding local security protocols, and being aware of potential risks to adapt to changing environments. The training also highlights the importance of accurate and timely reporting, with modules on field report writing and FGDs transcription. By covering these areas, the training equips the team with the necessary skills to conduct effective and safe monitoring in challenging contexts.

The Knowledge and Monitoring Platform for the World Bank and the Lake Chad Basin Commission is a project where we simultaneously collect quantitative and qualitative data in conflict-affected regions across 10,000 respondents in four countries (Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, and Chad).

With this evidence, we are also supporting regional cooperation among Lake Chad’s member states by providing evidence for policy dialogues and shared understanding of common issues.

NIRAS provided services to develop a MEL system for the UK Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) (£1.26 billion) which influences CSSF country and regional programmes across the globe.

Our work helped the Fund develop stronger MEL standards and practices, thereby enabling teams to better demonstrate their contributions towards government priorities and to use reliable evidence for decisions. We have worked with the UK FCDO to build a strategic understanding of the shape and intent of the Fund, through the creation of a Fund-wide MEL system focused on capturing evidence and learning against Fund-level outcomes. We also provided thought leadership on key CSSF principles including agility, catalytic effect and high-risk programming and helped the Fund to operationalise these.

Performing monitoring as part of fund management for the African regional investment facility ‘Investing for Employment’ (IFE)

From August 2020 until recently, NIRAS managed the African regional investment facility Investing for Employment (IFE). Created by KfW Development Bank on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), IFE runs until 2025 and is an integral part of BMZ’s "Special Initiative on Training and Job Creation". The aim of IFE is to provide more people in African countries with formal work so that they can benefit from improved incomes and working conditions. It does so by offering – through a competitive process – grants of EUR 1-10 million to co-finance promising viable commercial and non-commercial projects in selected countries of Africa. IFE has a funding volume of approximately EUR 80 million already committed by the German Government, and the total amount to be awarded by the fund is expected to be on the order of EUR 500 million by the end of the programme.

NIRAS is an experienced fund manager, including in relation to the monitoring function of fund management. In addition to performing fund administration duties for IFE, we are responsible for monitoring and evaluation of selected projects. IFE’s Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system relies on a select set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that centre on the creation of new jobs and the enhancement of working conditions within current employment. The process of initiating proposal calls, evaluating them, making selections, and overseeing project progress is administered using a single software - SmartME - which includes a dashboard offering almost real-time updates on the status of calls, projects, and the attainment of KPIs.

Monitoring the cooperation between the EU and Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste (PALOP-TL countries)

Since 2025, NIRAS provides technical assistance at operational and policy dialogue level in support of ongoing and future PALOP-TL cooperation. This includes monitoring of ongoing programmes, supporting the Government of Mozambique in its role of PALOP-TL coordinator and the EU Delegations in the organisation of the technical and ministerial regular meetings, performing a strategic assessment of PALOP-TL cooperation (in 2026/2027), and the development of content of communication and visibility activities.

Our support ensures that actions from the PALOP-TL coordinator have a clear regional added value across all involved countries (Angola, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe, and Timor-Leste), and coherence with national programmes, including overall alignment with EU priorities.

Carrying out an independent external verification of Clean Cooking Services (CCS) for the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) across seven Sub-Saharan countries

NEFCO’s Modern Cooking Facility for Africa aims to accelerate the creation of long-term sustainable markets for affordable, high-quality and energy-efficient clean cooking solutions in Sub-Saharan Africa by making financial incentives available to companies through a results-based financing programme. The Facility envisions catalysing the market development of clean and affordable cooking technologies on a similar scale as seen in the off-grid electricity sector in the last decade. The clean cooking sector, while still in its nascent stages and not as developed as, e.g. the off-grid electricity sector, has demonstrated considerable growth potential. NIRAS and our partner 60 Decibels is contracted to provide independent external verification of Clean Cooking Services (CCS) to support the Facility’s monitoring, reporting and verification system.

As Independent Verification Agent, NIRAS works in tandem with the Facility’s team at NEFCO and the external service providers to verify the correctness and reliability of the reports and data that service providers submit to NEFCO and also to help to improve the quality of reported data over time and contribute to evidence-based learning for greater uptake of clean cooking in Sub-Saharan Africa. The assignment also includes carrying out a Customer Satisfaction and Impact Survey to collect information on end-user experience and satisfaction with the products and services provided by the grantee companies and to assess their impact on the quality of life in the end-user households, including from the gender-equality perspective.