A recruiter with a stack of applications spends very little time on each CV, sometimes less than a minute on the first pass. Yours has to be clear enough that the right details jump out in that time. This guide walks through what a Nigerian employer expects, and where older habits are worth dropping.
Keep it short
One page is enough if you are a fresh graduate or have less than five years of experience. Two pages is the limit for almost everyone else. If a detail does not help you get this particular job, cut it.
What goes at the top
- Your full name, large enough to see at a glance.
- A phone number you answer, and a professional email address. Something like firstname.lastname works. An address built around a nickname or a joke does not.
- Your city. A full street address is not necessary.
- A LinkedIn link, if your profile is up to date.
Leave out what is not needed
Older Nigerian CVs often include a passport photograph, date of birth, state of origin, religion and marital status. Most employers do not need any of that to judge whether you can do the job, and some now prefer not to see it. Leave it out unless the advert asks for it.
Write a short summary
Open with two or three lines that say who you are and what you offer. For example: “Accountant with four years of experience in retail finance, skilled in month-end reporting and cash flow tracking. Looking for a role in a growing logistics company.” Avoid vague phrases like “hardworking team player”. Say something a reader could check.
Work experience
List your jobs from the most recent backwards. For each one, give the company, your job title and the dates. Then add three to five bullet points about what you achieved, not just what you were given to do.
Compare these two bullets:
- “Responsible for sales.”
- “Sold to 40 new customers in six months and raised monthly revenue from ₦1.2 million to ₦1.8 million.”
The second one tells the reader what you actually did. If you do not have exact figures, use honest estimates, but never invent numbers you could not defend in an interview.
Education and NYSC
List your highest qualification first, with the institution, the course and the year. Include your class of degree if it helps you, for example Second Class Upper. Add your NYSC details, saying whether the service is completed or ongoing, and the state and place of primary assignment if relevant. Many Nigerian employers look for it.
Skills and certificates
Keep skills specific. “Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, lookups)” tells more than “computer skills”. List only certificates that relate to the job, and never claim one you do not hold. Employers do check.
Referees
Two referees are enough, ideally a former manager or lecturer who knows your work and agrees to be contacted. If space is tight, write “Referees available on request”, but have names ready.
Layout that helps
- Use one clear font at 10 to 12 points, with headings in bold.
- Leave white space between sections. A crowded page is tiring to read.
- Check your spelling twice, then ask a friend to check it again.
- Send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, so the layout does not shift. Name it clearly, for example Adaeze_Okafor_CV.pdf.
Tailor it every time
Read the job advert, pick out the three or four things it asks for most, and make sure those appear on your CV in the employer’s own words where they honestly apply. A slightly different CV for each application beats one generic CV sent to fifty companies.
Finally, pair your CV with a good cover letter. If you need help with that, read our guide on how to write a winning application letter. The two together tell an employer who you are and why they should call.
