Tender Summary: Integrated Marketing West Africa Hub

Objectives

The primary objective is to stimulate sustainable demand for South African tourism across West Africa, specifically targeting Nigeria and Ghana. The appointed agency will drive brand awareness, enhance positive perception, and convert interest into actual travel bookings. Key goals include addressing consumer barriers such as safety concerns, visa complexities, and limited content availability; activating brand advocates; and delivering hyper-personalised travel experiences that resonate with West African travellers seeking authentic, culturally rich, and value-driven journeys.

Scope of Work

The successful bidder will serve as an integrated marketing and communication agency on a non-exclusive, project-based basis without a fixed retainer. This pricing model means compensation is tied to specific deliverables and outcomes rather than a recurring monthly fee. The scope encompasses:

• Creative & Brand Strategy: Development of annual localized communication strategies, campaign messaging, and immersive storytelling aligned with the destination’s brand pillars.
• Digital & Social Media: End-to-end digital strategy, content creation, social media account management, community engagement, social listening, digital amplification, and performance reporting.
• Media Planning & Buying: Formulation of media strategies, detailed scheduling, platform evaluation, PR integration within media buys, and negotiation of strategic collaborations.
• Experiential Marketing: Conceptualisation and execution of offline and online brand activations, partnership sourcing, and ROI measurement for all experiential initiatives.
• Management & Reporting: Project coordination, crisis management, competitor benchmarking, cross-agency synergy, and comprehensive performance analytics.

Technical Requirements

• Agency must be legally registered and operational in Nigeria, with a demonstrable operational footprint in Ghana.
• Mandatory licensing by the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the statutory body responsible for regulating advertising practices and ensuring compliance with industry standards in Nigeria.
• Membership in the Media Independent Practitioners Association of Nigeria (MIPAN) is considered an advantage, indicating adherence to professional media buying ethics and transparency.
• Proposals must be submitted via the official government e-procurement system using prescribed standard forms. Attendance at a compulsory virtual briefing session is mandatory for eligibility.
• Bids must remain valid for a minimum of five months post-submission. Contracted pricing must remain firm for the full term.
• The contract duration is thirty-six months, subject to periodic performance evaluations. All submissions must comply with national preferential procurement regulations and the General Conditions of Contract (GCC), which outline standard legal, financial, and operational terms governing public sector agreements.
• Deliverables require measurable return on investment (ROI) tracking, crisis response protocols, and seamless integration with existing distribution channels and partner agencies.

Skills & Experience Requirements

• Proven track record in executing integrated marketing campaigns within the hospitality, lifestyle, or travel sectors.
• Senior-level management oversight capable of directing multi-disciplinary teams across creative, digital, media, and experiential domains.
• Deep expertise in Nigerian and Ghanaian media landscapes, including traditional broadcasting, print, out-of-home, and digital/social platforms.
• Strong capabilities in consumer insight analysis, journey mapping, and data-driven optimisation tailored to West African traveller behaviours.
• Experience in negotiating strategic alliances with travel trade partners, content creators, influencers, and non-travel brands to amplify campaign reach.
• Proficiency in social media monitoring tools, performance analytics software, and crisis communication frameworks.
• Ability to translate complex tourism products into compelling, culturally resonant narratives that address functional needs (safety, value, ease of access) and emotional drivers (authenticity, respect, personal growth).