Hiring in Nigeria: the complete guide
You can hire in Nigeria either through your own entity or through an Employer of Record, which lets you employ legally without registering a company. CareerBuddy delivers a shortlist of three vetted Nigerian candidates in four business days, and takes an EOR hire from signed order form to first payroll in about 10 business days.
- Primary hub
- Lagos (Yaba, Ikoyi, Lekki)
- Professional developers, Lagos
- 100,000+
- Senior software engineer median
- $60,000 / year
- Employer pension contribution
- 10% of gross
- NSITF
- 1% of gross
- Standard notice period
- 1 month
- Probation
- 3–6 months
- Entity setup avoided via EOR
- 8–12 weeks + $5–15k
Statutory figures verified 2026-08-25. Currency: Nigerian Naira (NGN). Time zone: WAT (UTC+1).
What makes hiring in Nigeria hard
Nigeria is Africa's largest talent market, and also its most confusing to buy in. Setting up an entity takes 8–12 weeks and $5,000–$15,000 before you can pay anyone. Once you're live you owe PAYE to a state revenue service (LIRS in Lagos, not the federal FIRS), 10% employer pension to a licensed PFA, NSITF at 1% of gross and ITF at 1% of annual payroll above the ₦50m threshold. Meanwhile naira volatility means the senior candidates you actually want increasingly decline naira-only offers — so a package that looked competitive at signing can be 30% below market a year later.
How CareerBuddy handles it
CareerBuddy runs both halves. Recruitment gives you three vetted candidates in four business days from a Nigerian network of 200,000+ professionals, with a 90-day replacement guarantee. Employer of Record puts the hire on CareerBuddy's Nigerian entity: contract, NIN and BVN verification, PAYE to LIRS, pension to a licensed PFA, NSITF and ITF, all administered for you. Offers are quoted with both a naira base and a USD-linked figure so senior candidates accept and stay. Same team, same contract, same inbox for both.
What roles cost in Nigeria
Annual gross base salary in USD, by seniority. Employer statutory costs sit on top — use the Nigeria salary calculator for total cost of employment.
| Role family | Mid-level | Senior | Lead |
|---|---|---|---|
| 💻 Software EngineeringDeepest pool on the continent by professional-developer density in one city — backend, mobile and fintech-adjacent engineering. | $25,000 | $37,500 | $52,500 |
| 📊 Product & DesignMature product and growth operator pool built out of the Lagos fintech cycle. | $20,000 | $32,000 | $47,500 |
| 📈 Sales & Marketing | $18,000 | $28,000 | $42,000 |
| 💰 Finance & OperationsStrong compliance, risk and payment-operations bench from banking and fintech. | $20,000 | $30,000 | $45,000 |
| 👔 Executive / Leadership | $35,000 | $50,000 | $75,000 |
Three ways to buy in Nigeria
Recruitment (permanent hire)
15% of first-year salary
You have a local entity, or you're hiring through your own payroll, and want a vetted shortlist in four business days.
See how it worksEmployer of Record
From $399 / employee / month
You want to employ someone compliantly without registering a local entity. Contract, payroll, tax and statutory contributions handled.
See how it worksOutsourced / managed team
Per-seat monthly rate, from 3 seats
You need a pod — support, engineering or back-office — run on CareerBuddy's payroll with a single monthly invoice.
See how it worksRecruitment carries a 90-day replacement guarantee. No upfront retainer. Full pricing.
From brief to first payroll in Nigeria
- Day 0Signed briefA 45-minute intake call sets the role scope, salary band, seniority and target start date for Nigeria. You sign the brief; no upfront fee.
- Day 4Shortlist of threeThree vetted candidates, each with an interview scorecard, salary expectation and notice period. Four business days is the standard delivery window across every market.
- Week 2Interviews and offerYou run your own loop; CareerBuddy manages scheduling, feedback and the offer negotiation, including the total-cost-of-employment figure rather than base alone.
- Week 3Contract and complianceEmployment contract issued under Nigeria labour law, right-to-work checks completed, statutory registrations filed.
- Week 4Payroll liveFirst payroll runs on schedule with all statutory deductions remitted. Onboarding to first payroll runs about 10 business days from a signed order form.
Where these numbers come from
- 10% employer pension contribution paid to a licensed Pension Fund Administrator, plus 8% employee.Source: Pension Reform Act 2014
- PAYE is withheld monthly and remitted to the state Inland Revenue Service — LIRS for Lagos-based employees.Source: Personal Income Tax Act; Lagos State Internal Revenue Service
- NSITF at 1% of gross monthly; ITF at 1% of annual payroll for employers above ₦50m payroll or 5 staff.Source: NSITF Act; Industrial Training Fund Act
- Probation typically 3–6 months with 1 month notice for monthly-paid employees.Source: Labour Act 1990 (Cap L1 LFN 2004)
- 500+ CareerBuddy placements completed in Nigeria; 88.3% 12-month retention across all markets.Source: CareerBuddy placement records — /about/company-facts
Common questions about hiring in Nigeria
Can I hire in Nigeria without setting up a company?+
Yes. An Employer of Record employs the person on its own Nigerian entity and invoices you, so you skip the 8–12 week, $5,000–$15,000 incorporation process. CareerBuddy's Nigerian EOR starts from $399 per employee per month.
How long does it take to hire someone in Nigeria?+
Four business days to a shortlist of three vetted candidates, typically two to three weeks to a signed offer, and about 10 business days from signed order form to first payroll on an EOR hire.
What does an employer pay on top of salary in Nigeria?+
10% pension to a licensed PFA, 1% NSITF on gross, and 1% ITF on annual payroll where the employer exceeds the ₦50m payroll or 5-employee threshold. PAYE is withheld from the employee and remitted to the state revenue service.
Should I pay in naira or USD?+
Quote both. Senior Nigerian candidates increasingly accept only USD-linked packages because of naira volatility; offers that show a naira base plus a USD-linked figure convert better and hold up at renewal.
What does recruitment in Nigeria cost?+
15% of first-year salary, payable on placement, with a 90-day replacement guarantee. There is no upfront retainer.
Explore more on CareerBuddy
Get three vetted Nigeria candidates in four days
Tell us the role, the band and the start date. You'll get a shortlist of three with scorecards, salary expectations and notice periods — and a total-cost-of-employment figure, not just a base salary.