The six sections, in order
A Nigerian CV in 2026 is a reverse-chronological document of one to two pages, in a single column, sent as a PDF. It carries six sections and nothing else.
- 1. Name and contact block
- 2. Professional summary
- 3. Key skills
- 4. Work experience
- 5. Education
- 6. Certifications
A complete Nigerian sample CV
This is the HR / People Operations sample from our CV Studio templates, shown in full. The details are invented, but the structure, the length of the bullets and the way the numbers are written are exactly what we recommend to candidates.
Adaeze Nwankwo
HR Generalist | People Operations
+234 800 000 0000 · adaeze.nwankwo@email.com · Lagos, Nigeria · linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Professional summary
HR generalist with 5 years' experience across recruitment, employee relations and HR operations in fast-growing Nigerian businesses. Reduced average time-to-hire from 45 to 26 days and led the rollout of an HRIS across 3 locations. Strong on Nigerian labour compliance, PAYE and pension administration.
Key skills
Talent acquisition · Employee relations · HRIS administration · Payroll & PAYE · Performance management · Nigerian Labour Act compliance · HR analytics · Onboarding
Work experience
HR Generalist — Bluecrest Services Limited
Lagos · Mar 2022 – Present
- Cut average time-to-hire from 45 to 26 days by restructuring the screening process and introducing structured interviews.
- Administered monthly payroll for 180 staff with 100% PAYE and pension remittance compliance.
- Led the implementation of an HRIS across 3 offices, moving 100% of leave and attendance records off spreadsheets.
- Resolved 40+ employee relations cases with zero escalations to the National Industrial Court.
HR Officer — Harmony Foods Nigeria
Ikeja, Lagos · Jan 2020 – Feb 2022
- Onboarded 120 new hires and raised 90-day retention from 71% to 88%.
- Built the company's first employee handbook aligned to the Nigerian Labour Act.
Education
- B.Sc. Industrial Relations & Personnel Management, University of Lagos, 2019
Certifications
- Associate, CIPM (ACIPM)
- SHRM Essentials of HR
You do not have to retype this. Open CV Studio and load the same sample as a starting point — four Nigerian templates (HR, graduate and NYSC, sales, analyst and tech), your details typed over the sample, then print or save to PDF. It runs in your browser, it is free, and nothing you type is uploaded.
What to write in each section
1. Name and contact block
Your name, the job title you are targeting, phone, email, city and LinkedIn. Four lines, nothing more. No date of birth, marital status, state of origin, religion, tribe or photograph — Nigerian recruiters have stopped asking for them and screening software cannot read a photo.
Write: Adaeze Nwankwo · HR Generalist | People Operations · +234 800 000 0000 · Lagos, Nigeria
Not: Curriculum Vitae (as a heading), Sex: Female, D.O.B: 12/04/1994, State of Origin: Anambra
2. Professional summary
Three to four lines: years of experience, the field, and two results with numbers. This is the only part many hiring managers read in full, so put your strongest measurable outcome in the first sentence. Skip objectives like "seeking a challenging role in a reputable organisation" — they say nothing.
Write: Reduced average time-to-hire from 45 to 26 days and led an HRIS rollout across 3 locations.
Not: A hardworking and dedicated individual seeking a challenging position in a reputable organisation.
3. Key skills
Six to ten skills on one or two lines, using the exact words in the job advert. Screening software matches on phrasing, so if the advert says "payroll administration", write payroll administration — not "salary stuff". Mix technical tools with the compliance areas Nigerian employers test for.
Write: Talent acquisition · HRIS administration · Payroll & PAYE · Nigerian Labour Act compliance
Not: Hardworking · Team player · Fast learner · Good communication skills
4. Work experience
Reverse chronological order. Each role gets a title, employer, location and month-year dates, then three to five bullets. Every bullet starts with an action verb and, where you can, ends in a number: naira value, percentage, headcount or time saved. Describe results, not the job description you were handed.
Write: Administered monthly payroll for 180 staff with 100% PAYE and pension remittance compliance.
Not: Responsible for payroll and other duties as assigned by management.
5. Education
Qualification, institution, year. Include your class of degree — Nigerian employers still shortlist on it — and NYSC completion if you have finished it. Secondary school results only matter for graduate and entry-level roles; drop WAEC once you have three years of experience.
Write: B.Sc. Industrial Relations & Personnel Management, University of Lagos, 2019
Not: Primary school leaving certificate, 2006 · First School Leaving Certificate results listed in full
6. Certifications
List professional bodies and courses that carry weight locally — ACIPM, CIPM, SHRM, PMP, ICAN, ACCA, PL-300 — with "in progress" where honest. Referees do not belong on the CV; write nothing, not even "available on request", and give names only when asked.
Write: Associate, CIPM (ACIPM) · SHRM Essentials of HR
Not: Referees: Mr Bello, my former manager, 08000000000, available on request.
Formatting rules that decide whether a human ever sees your CV
- Two pages maximum — one page if you have under five years of experience.
- Save and send as PDF unless the advert asks for Word. Never send a scan or a photograph of a printed CV.
- One standard font at 10–12pt (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman). No tables, columns, text boxes, headers, footers or graphics — screening software drops the text inside them.
- Name the file properly: Adaeze-Nwankwo-HR-Generalist-CV.pdf, not CV1final.pdf.
- Write dates as month and year (Mar 2022 – Present) and be consistent throughout.
- Use British spelling and Nigerian conventions: ₦ for naira, and spell out organisations before using an acronym.
- Rewrite the summary and skills for every application. One generic CV sent to forty adverts is why nobody calls back.
Before you send anything, run the file through our free ATS resume checker — it reads your CV the way screening software does and tells you which sections it could not find.
Frequently asked questions
What is the correct CV format in Nigeria?
A reverse-chronological CV of one to two pages with six sections: name and contact details, professional summary, key skills, work experience, education and certifications. Send it as a PDF in a single column, with no photograph, tables or graphics.
Should I put my age, photo or state of origin on a Nigerian CV?
No. Date of birth, age, marital status, religion, state of origin and photographs are no longer expected and add nothing recruiters screen on. Use the space for measurable results instead.
How long should a Nigerian CV be?
One page for graduates and anyone with under five years of experience; two pages once you have more. Beyond two pages, recruiters stop reading.
Do I need to list referees on my CV?
No. Leave referees off the CV entirely and provide names when an employer asks, after you have told your referees to expect the call.
What is the difference between a CV and a resume in Nigeria?
In Nigeria the words are used interchangeably, and employers expect the same one- to two-page document. Only academic and research applications need the long, publication-listing CV.
Next step: write yours today
Start from a Nigerian template in CV Studio, review it section by section, then check the finished file against ATS screening. All three tools are free.