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Hire remote staff in Nigeria

English is Nigeria's official language, and Lagos is no more than an hour from London all year. Here's what Nigerian remote staff cost, the hours they cover and how paying them works, from cited sources.

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What remote staff in Nigeria charge

Freelance VA rate on Upwork, Nigeria
$8–12/hr

What virtual assistants in Nigeria list on Upwork. Upwork (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026

US employee wage, median
$23.23/hr

Secretaries and administrative assistants, $48,310 a year. US Bureau of Labor Statistics (opens in a new tab), May 2025 data

Nigeria time zone and working hours

Lagos is on West Africa Time (WAT), UTC+1, all year: it never changes its clocks, so only your side moves.

  • Your US Eastern 9-to-5, in Lagos

    Your standard time (EST)
    3 pm to 11 pm
    Your summer time (EDT)
    2 pm to 10 pm
    Shared hours
    2 hours
    Shared hours, your summer
    3 hours

  • Your US Pacific 9-to-5, in Lagos

    Your standard time (PST)
    6 pm to 2 am
    Your summer time (PDT)
    5 pm to 1 am
    Shared hours
    0 hours

  • Your London 9-to-5, in Lagos

    Your standard time (GMT)
    10 am to 6 pm
    Your summer time (BST)
    9 am to 5 pm
    Shared hours
    7 hours
    Shared hours, your summer
    8 hours

  • Your Sydney 9-to-5, in Lagos

    Your standard time (AEST)
    midnight to 8 am
    Your summer time (AEDT)
    11 pm to 7 am
    Shared hours
    0 hours

The other way round: a 9-to-5 in Lagos, in January

US Eastern (EST)
3 am to 11 am
US Pacific (PST)
midnight to 8 am
London (GMT)
8 am to 4 pm
Sydney (AEDT)
7 pm to 3 am

Shared hours are the part of both 9-to-5s that overlaps. Every profile shows which business hours the person covers. IANA time zone database (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026

English in Nigeria

EF's English Proficiency Index 2025 ranks Nigeria 29th of 123 countries, with a score of 568, in its “high” band. It's based on people who chose to take EF's test, so treat it as a rough guide.

EF English Proficiency Index (opens in a new tab), 2025 edition

On StaffPick you don't rely on a national average: everyone takes the same English test, and their CEFR band and score sit on their profile. What the CEFR bands mean at work.

Paying someone in Nigeria

Wise

Wise sends naira to local Nigerian bank accounts.

Wise (opens in a new tab), checked Oct 2026

Hire Direct, $79 a month
Request intros, then pay the person directly, in the way you both agree.
Done For You, their pay plus $399 a month
StaffPick pays them for you and replaces them free if it doesn't work out.

Holidays and the law

Public holidays

The Federal Government declares public holidays through the Ministry of Interior, often only days ahead. Eid dates follow the moon, so they move every year.

Agree up front which days they take off, and what happens if you need them on one.

Contractor or employee

Nigeria's main employment law is the Labour Act.

Whether someone counts as an employee usually depends on how the work really happens (who sets the hours, who directs the work, how they're paid), not on what the contract calls them. If you hire a contractor, keep it a contractor relationship, or use an employer of record. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.

Roles you can hire

Each guide covers what the role does, cited rates and how we test the people you'll meet.

Tested Nigerian staff on StaffPick

Live profiles. Each person passed the English, typing and role tests, and we reviewed the profile before it went live.

Questions about hiring in Nigeria

Still unsure? Contact us. A person reads every message.

Freelance VA rate on Upwork, Nigeria: $8–12 an hour. What virtual assistants in Nigeria list on Upwork. Rates vary by role and experience, so check each person's own rate on their profile. Source: Upwork, checked Oct 2026.

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Hire Direct is $79 a month when you want intros.