What makes these templates work in Nigeria
Every template follows the same six-section structure Nigerian employers expect, and avoids the habits that get CVs dropped before a human reads them. If you want the reasoning behind each section, read the CV format in Nigeria guide.
- Single column, no tables, no photograph — the layout screening software can actually read.
- A summary that opens with a measurable result instead of "seeking a challenging role".
- Bullets that start with an action verb and end in a number: naira, percentage, headcount or days saved.
- Nigerian conventions throughout: ₦, NYSC, CIPM/ICAN-style certifications, month-year dates.
- One to two pages, saved as PDF, with a file name a recruiter can find again.
The four templates
Pick the one closest to the role you are applying for. The names and employers are invented; the structure, bullet length and way the numbers are written are exactly what we recommend to candidates we coach.
Template 1
HR / People Operations CV template
Leads with people metrics and compliance — the structure Nigerian HR hiring managers scan for first.
Best for: HR officers, generalists and people ops professionals
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
Template 2
Graduate / Entry level CV template
Puts education, projects and transferable skills first when you don't yet have years of experience.
Best for: NYSC members, fresh graduates and career starters
Emeka Okafor
Graduate Trainee | Business Administration
+234 800 000 0000 · emeka.okafor@email.com · Abuja, Nigeria · linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Professional summary
Business Administration graduate (Second Class Upper) with NYSC completed and hands-on experience from a 6-month internship in operations. Comfortable with Excel, data reporting and customer-facing work. Looking for a graduate trainee role where I can grow into analytics or operations.
Key skills
Microsoft Excel · Data entry & reporting · Customer service · Report writing · Google Workspace · Teamwork · Time management
Work experience
Operations Intern (NYSC) — Sterling Logistics
Abuja · Sep 2024 – Aug 2025
- Tracked 200+ weekly deliveries in Excel and produced a weekly performance report used by the operations manager.
- Reduced record errors by 30% by redesigning the daily dispatch log.
- Handled 25+ customer enquiries daily by phone and email.
Education
- B.Sc. Business Administration (Second Class Upper), University of Nigeria, Nsukka, 2024
Certifications
- Google Data Analytics (in progress)
- Excel for Business — Coursera
Template 3
Sales / Customer-facing CV template
Numbers-forward: targets, revenue and growth in the first three lines.
Best for: Sales executives, business development and account managers
Fatima Bello
Business Development Manager
+234 800 000 0000 · fatima.bello@email.com · Lagos, Nigeria · linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Professional summary
Business development manager with 7 years selling B2B services in Nigeria. Consistently exceeded annual targets, closing ₦480m in new business in 2025 and growing a 40-account portfolio by 32% year on year. Strong at consultative selling to mid-market and enterprise clients.
Key skills
B2B sales · Pipeline management · CRM (HubSpot, Zoho) · Negotiation · Key account management · Proposal writing · Market research
Work experience
Business Development Manager — Northline Business Services
Lagos · Jun 2021 – Present
- Closed ₦480m in new business in 2025, 118% of target.
- Grew a 40-account portfolio by 32% year on year through structured quarterly reviews.
- Built the outbound process that now generates 60% of qualified pipeline.
Sales Executive — Zenith Trade Partners
Port Harcourt · Feb 2018 – May 2021
- Exceeded quarterly targets in 11 of 13 quarters.
- Opened 3 new territories, adding ₦95m in annual recurring revenue.
Education
- B.Sc. Marketing, Ahmadu Bello University, 2017
Certifications
- HubSpot Sales Software Certification
Template 4
Analyst / Tech CV template
Tools and measurable outcomes up front, with a clear technical skills block.
Best for: Data analysts, finance analysts and technical roles
Tunde Adeyemi
Data Analyst
+234 800 000 0000 · tunde.adeyemi@email.com · Lagos, Nigeria · linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Professional summary
Data analyst with 4 years turning messy operational data into decisions. Built the dashboards that cut monthly reporting time from 3 days to 4 hours and flagged ₦60m in recoverable revenue leakage. Strong in SQL, Power BI and Python.
Key skills
SQL · Power BI · Python (pandas) · Excel modelling · Data cleaning · Dashboard design · Stakeholder reporting
Work experience
Data Analyst — Palmview Financial Group
Lagos · Jan 2023 – Present
- Cut monthly reporting cycle from 3 days to 4 hours by automating extracts with SQL and Power BI.
- Identified ₦60m in revenue leakage through a reconciliation model now run monthly.
- Trained 15 non-technical staff to self-serve from dashboards, reducing ad-hoc requests by 45%.
Junior Analyst — Ridgeway Consulting
Lagos · Oct 2021 – Dec 2022
- Cleaned and consolidated 5 years of client data into a single reporting warehouse.
Education
- B.Sc. Statistics, University of Ibadan, 2021
Certifications
- Microsoft Power BI Data Analyst (PL-300)
Edit any of these online, free
CV Studio loads the same four templates, lets you type your details over the sample, gives you a section-by-section review and prints straight to PDF. It runs entirely in your browser — nothing you type is uploaded or stored.
Open CV StudioFrequently asked questions
Are these CV templates really free?
Yes. Every template on this page is free to copy, download as text and edit in CV Studio. There is no sign-up, no card and no watermark.
Which CV template is best for a Nigerian job application?
Pick the one closest to your field: HR / People Operations, Graduate and NYSC, Sales and customer-facing, or Analyst and tech. All four use the same reverse-chronological structure Nigerian employers expect.
Can I download these templates in Word or PDF?
Use the download button to save the plain-text version, then paste it into Word or Google Docs. Or open the template in CV Studio, type over the sample and use Print to save it as a PDF.
Should a Nigerian CV template include a photo or date of birth?
No. Leave out photographs, date of birth, marital status, religion and state of origin. None of them are screened on, and photos break most applicant tracking systems.
Keep going
- CV format in Nigeria: the 2026 standard — what to write, and never write, in each section.
- Interview questions in Nigeria — once the CV works, prepare for the call.
- Free ATS resume checker — see your CV the way screening software does.