How to write a CV in Nigeria: format, NYSC and a full sample

The right CV format for Nigerian employers

Use a reverse-chronological, single-column format with standard headings, especially for online portals used by banks and multinationals. One page is ideal for graduates; two pages for experienced professionals. Use a clean font, consistent dates and clear section titles: Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications, Languages and Referees.

Personal details: old habits to drop

Traditional Nigerian CVs often included date of birth, state of origin, local government area, religion, marital status and a photo. Modern recruiters increasingly prefer CVs without these details, because they are not related to your ability to do the job and can lead to bias. Include only your name, phone (+234…), email, city and LinkedIn, unless an employer or application form specifically asks for more.

How to present NYSC on your CV

Many Nigerian employers require NYSC completion or exemption for graduates. Show it clearly in one of two ways:

• As experience, if your primary assignment was relevant: “Nurse (NYSC), General Hospital Abeokuta, Jan–Dec 2021,” with two or three achievement bullets.
• Under education, if it was not relevant: “NYSC: 2021, Kano State (Discharge Certificate)”.
• If you have an exemption certificate, mention it briefly in the same place.

Education: degree class, WAEC and NECO

List your degree with its class (First Class, Second Class Upper, Second Class Lower), institution and years. Many graduate trainee programmes set minimum requirements such as a Second Class Upper, so state your class clearly. Recent graduates should include O'Level results, e.g. “WAEC SSCE: 8 credits including English and Mathematics”. Professional qualifications such as ICAN, ACCA, CIPM, CITN, COREN, NMCN and PCN go in a Certifications section with the year.

Write achievements, not duties

Nigerian recruiters see many CVs that list duties. Stand out with results:

• “Resolved 70+ customer requests daily on Zendesk with a 92% satisfaction score.”
• “Managed ₦40M drug inventory and cut expiries by 30%.”
• “Supervised a ₦5.2bn road project, delivered six weeks ahead of schedule.”
• “Grew Instagram followers from 40,000 to 125,000 in 12 months.”

Application letters in Nigeria

Many Nigerian employers, including schools, hospitals and government agencies, still expect a formal application letter. Use the standard format: your address, date, employer's address, “Dear Sir/Madam,” a capitalised subject line (APPLICATION FOR THE POSITION OF …), three or four focused paragraphs and “Yours faithfully”. See our full guide to writing an application letter, with a Nigerian sample.

Avoiding recruitment scams

• Genuine employers do not ask you to pay for forms, interviews or “processing”.
• Check that adverts come from official websites or verified pages.
• Be cautious of emails from free addresses claiming to be large companies.
• Never send your bank details or BVN before receiving a genuine offer.

Nigerian CV checklist

• Phone with +234 and a professional email.
• No state of origin, religion or date of birth unless requested.
• Degree class and institution clearly stated.
• NYSC completion shown.
• WAEC/NECO results for recent graduates.
• Professional certifications with years.
• Achievements with numbers (₦, %, customers, projects).
• PDF named Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf.

Nigerian CV examples by career

• Bankers and graduate trainees: degree class, NYSC, numeracy and customer service achievements, any ICAN/ACCA progress.
• Nurses and pharmacists: NMCN or PCN licence with year, internship, units, patient or prescription volumes.
• Engineers: COREN registration, project values in ₦, site safety record, software skills.
• Customer service and sales: CSAT scores, calls or chats per day, targets achieved, CRM tools.
• Marketing: campaign results, follower growth, leads and cost per lead, ad platforms.
• Teachers: TRCN registration, subjects and classes, WAEC/NECO results of students.

Walkthrough: the Nigerian sample CV

The nurse CV above follows modern Nigerian CV practice. The header has only name, title, phone, email and city: no state of origin, age or religion. The summary leads with the NMCN registration and a quality result. NYSC is shown as real experience at a general hospital, with achievements, rather than a single line. Education gives the degree class and WAEC credits, and the certifications section lists the licence and BLS with years, exactly what HR teams in Lagos hospitals verify first.

After you apply: tests, interviews and follow-up

Many Nigerian employers, especially banks, telecoms and consulting firms, use aptitude tests before interviews, so expect numerical, verbal and logical reasoning assessments after sending your CV. Keep your phone on and check your email (including the spam folder) daily. Prepare to discuss every achievement on your CV in detail, and bring originals and photocopies of certificates, your NYSC discharge certificate and identification to interviews. If you have not heard back after two weeks, a short, polite follow-up email is acceptable.

Build your Nigerian CV

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Frequently asked questions