Best recruitment agencies in Nigeria
The strongest recruitment agencies in Nigeria combine Lagos-market depth with a documented vetting process and the ability to employ the hire compliantly. CareerBuddy shortlists three vetted Nigerian candidates in 4 business days and can run local payroll through its Employer of Record from $399 per employee per month.
- Main hub
- Lagos
- Shortlist speed
- 4 business days
- Employer pension
- 10% to a licensed PFA
- EOR from
- $399/employee/month
03What to check before you sign
Nigeria has a crowded agency market and a wide quality spread. The questions that separate them are specific and easy to ask.
- Placements in your sector in Lagos or Abuja in the last twelve months
- Whether salary offers are benchmarked to published data or to instinct
- Length of the free replacement window
- Whether they can employ the hire if you have no Nigerian entity
- How they handle PAYE, pension and NSITF remittance
04The compliance layer most agencies skip
A placement is only useful if you can pay the person legally. Nigerian employers owe 10% pension to a licensed PFA, 1% NSITF on gross, and ITF where the payroll threshold is met, with PAYE withheld to the state revenue service. An agency that stops at the offer letter leaves all of that with you.
Frequently asked
Can I hire in Nigeria without a Nigerian company?+
Yes, through an Employer of Record, which employs the person on its own Nigerian entity and invoices you. Incorporation takes 8–12 weeks and is rarely worth it below about twenty hires.
How fast can a Nigerian hire start?+
Four business days to a shortlist, two to three weeks to a signed offer, and about 10 business days from signed order form to first payroll on an EOR hire.
Still deciding? Talk to a person.
Tell us the role and the market. You will get a straight answer on cost, timeline and the right employment route — no deck required.
Talk to the team