How to write a winning CV for Lagos jobs in 2025. Get proven format examples, samples for top companies like Dangote & Flutterwave, plus expert tips.

How to Write CV for Lagos Jobs 2025: Format Examples That Work

Landing a job in Lagos’ competitive market requires more than qualifications. It demands a CV that speaks the language of Nigerian employers. After reviewing hundreds of successful applications across Mainland and Island businesses, I have discovered that certain formatting choices consistently open doors while others get applications binned within seconds.

Why Lagos Employers Have Specific CV Expectations

Lagos operates differently from Abuja, Port Harcourt, or even international job markets. Hiring managers here typically spend 15-20 seconds on initial CV screening, mainly because they receive anywhere from 200 to 2,000 applications per role. Your CV format isn’t just about looking professional, it’s about surviving that brutal first cut.

The city’s mix of multinational corporations in Victoria Island, bustling SMEs in Ikeja, and emerging tech startups in Yaba each have distinct preferences. Understanding these nuances means the difference between “we’ll keep your CV on file” and “can you come in for an interview?”

Read Also: Tourism Industry CV Tips: 2025 Guide to Writing Winning Resumes for Travel & Hospitality Jobs

The Three CV Formats That Work in Lagos

1. The Reverse-Chronological Format (Most Popular)

This format lists your most recent experience first and works backwards. Roughly 75% of Lagos employers prefer this because it immediately shows your current level and career trajectory.

Best for:

• Banking and finance positions (Zenith Bank, Access Bank, GTBank)
• Corporate roles in multinationals
• Traditional industries (manufacturing, oil and gas)
• Mid to senior-level positions

Structure:

Personal Information
Professional Summary
Work Experience (newest first)
Education
Skills
Certifications
Referees

2. The Functional/Skills-Based Format

This format emphasizes your skills and achievements rather than employment chronology. It’s gaining ground in Lagos, particularly among creative and tech sectors.

Best for:

• Career changers
• Fresh graduates with internships
• Tech and creative roles (Andela, Flutterwave, content agencies)
• People with employment gaps
• Freelancers entering full-time roles

Structure:

Personal Information
Professional Summary
Key Skills & Achievements (grouped by category)
Work Experience (brief)
Education
Certifications

3. The Hybrid/Combination Format

This merges both approaches, highlighting skills while maintaining chronological work history. It’s becoming the secret weapon for competitive Lagos positions.

Best for:

• Mid-level professionals switching industries
• Candidates with diverse experience
• Consulting and professional services roles
• Project management positions

Structure:

Personal Information
Professional Summary
Core Competencies
Work Experience (with achievement bullets)
Education
Professional Development

Essential Components Every Lagos CV Must Include

Personal Information Section

Nigerian employers expect more detail here than Western CVs. Include:

• Full name (as it appears on credentials)
• Phone number (ensure it’s active; missed calls lose opportunities)
• Email address (professional only—no “hotgirl123” or “baddo2024”)
• LinkedIn profile (if you have one properly set up)
• Location (specify your Lagos area: “Lekki Phase 1” or “Surulere” helps with commute considerations)
• Date of birth (yes, still expected in Nigeria despite international trends)
• Nationality/State of origin (particularly for federal character requirements)

Skip: Marital status and number of children (increasingly seen as unnecessary unless specifically requested).

Professional Summary That Hooks

This 3-4 line paragraph sits at the top and determines whether the reader continues. Lagos hiring managers want to see:

• Your current professional identity
• Years of relevant experience
• Your standout achievement or specialization
• What you are seeking

Example for a Marketing Professional: “Results-driven Marketing Manager with 6+ years driving brand growth across FMCG and fintech sectors in Lagos. Increased customer acquisition by 340% at previous role through integrated digital campaigns. Specialized in leveraging Nigerian consumer behavior insights to create campaigns that resonate locally while maintaining international standards. Seeking to bring this expertise to a forward-thinking organization ready to dominate the Lagos market.”

Work Experience Section

Each role should include:

• Job title
• Company name and location
• Employment dates (Month/Year format)
• 3-6 achievement-focused bullet points

The Lagos Formula: Start bullets with action verbs, include numbers/metrics, and show business impact.

Weak: “Responsible for managing social media accounts”

Strong: “Grew Instagram following from 5,000 to 87,000 in 8 months, generating ₦2.3M in direct sales through strategic content that highlighted Nigerian customer success stories”

Education Section

List your highest qualification first. Include:

• Degree type and course (B.Sc. Economics, HND Business Administration)
• Institution name
• Graduation year
• Classification (First Class, Second Class Upper, etc.)
• NYSC status (Completed/Exempted/In Progress, employers in Lagos specifically look for this)

If you attended a well-known secondary school (particularly in Lagos), you can include it—network connections matter here.

Skills Section

Divide into categories:

• Technical Skills: Software, tools, platforms specific to your field
• Languages: English (fluent), Yoruba (native), etc.
• Soft Skills: Be selective. Only include what you can demonstrate

Lagos-specific tip: If you speak Yoruba, Igbo, or Hausa, mention it. Ability to connect with diverse customers or team members across Nigeria is valuable.

Top Companies and Their Preferred Formats

1. Dangote Group

Africa’s largest conglomerate receives thousands of applications monthly. Their preference leans heavily toward:

• Format: Reverse-chronological
• Length: 2 pages maximum
• Key focuses: Quantifiable achievements, leadership experience, operational excellence
• Special note: Highlight any experience in manufacturing, supply chain, or pan-African operations

2. Flutterwave

This fintech unicorn looks for innovation and results:

• Format: Hybrid format works best
• Length: 1-2 pages (they value conciseness)
• Key focuses: Tech skills, startup experience, metrics around growth/scaling
• Special note: Include links to portfolios, GitHub, or projects you’ve shipped

3. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Nigeria

One of the Big 4 accounting firms maintains high standards:

• Format: Reverse-chronological (strictly)
• Length: 2 pages, never more
• Key focuses: Academic excellence, professional certifications (ICAN, ACCA), analytical skills
• Special note: Clean, minimalist design. Fancy graphics or colors get rejected.

4. Nigerian Breweries (Heineken)

This FMCG giant values both structure and creativity:

• Format: Hybrid format for marketing/sales; reverse-chronological for operations
• Length: 2 pages
• Key focuses: Market knowledge, sales figures, brand management experience
• Special note: Understanding of Nigerian consumer markets is crucial—demonstrate it

5. Andela

The tech talent accelerator has unique requirements:

• Format: Skills-based or hybrid
• Length: 1-2 pages
• Key focuses: Technical proficiency, learning agility, remote work experience
• Special note: They care more about what you can do than where you’ve been—projects and code samples matter more than fancy formatting

Real CV Samples for Lagos Jobs

Sample 1: Entry-Level Banking Position (Reverse-Chronological)

ADEYEMI OLUWASEUN JOHNSON
Gbagada, Lagos | 0803-XXX-XXXX | adeyemi.johnson@email.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/adeyemijohnson

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Ambitious Banking and Finance graduate with First Class Honours from University of Lagos and 1 year experience in customer-facing financial services. Completed NYSC at microfinance institution where I facilitated ₦45M in loan disbursements with 98% repayment rate. Seeking to leverage strong analytical skills and customer service excellence as a Relationship Officer in a tier-1 bank.

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Banking and Finance (First Class Honours)
University of Lagos, Akoka | 2023
Relevant Coursework: Financial Analysis, Risk Management, Investment Banking
Final Year Project: "Digital Banking Adoption Among Lagos Small Businesses" (Scored 78/100)

NYSC: Completed (2024)
Primary Assignment: Accion Microfinance Bank, Ikeja

WORK EXPERIENCE

Banking Officer (NYSC)
Accion Microfinance Bank, Ikeja, Lagos | August 2023 - July 2024
• Processed 200+ customer transactions daily with 99.7% accuracy rate, handling over ₦8M in cash and transfers
• Conducted financial literacy training for 150+ SME owners across Ikeja market, resulting in 40% increase in savings account openings
• Assisted in loan application processing, contributing to ₦45M loan portfolio with exceptional 98% repayment rate
• Reduced customer wait time by 25% through implementation of improved queuing system during peak hours

Sales Intern
GTBank Plc, Victoria Island, Lagos | May 2022 - August 2022
• Supported relationship managers in account opening process for 80+ new customers during 3-month internship
• Conducted market surveys across 5 Lagos LGAs to identify potential business banking customers
• Prepared detailed customer profile reports that helped team exceed quarterly targets by 15%

SKILLS
Technical: Microsoft Excel (Advanced), Core Banking Applications, Financial Modeling, Data Analysis
Languages: English (Fluent), Yoruba (Native), Basic Igbo
Soft Skills: Customer Relationship Management, Problem-solving, Attention to Detail, Team Collaboration

CERTIFICATIONS
• Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) - Foundation (In Progress)
• Professional Certificate in Digital Marketing - Google (2024)

ACHIEVEMENTS
• Best Graduating Student (Department of Banking and Finance, UNILAG, 2023)
• UNILAG Merit Scholarship Recipient (2020-2023)

REFEREES
Available upon request

Sample 2: Mid-Level Marketing Professional (Hybrid Format)

CHIAMAKA NWACHUKWU
Lekki Phase 1, Lagos | 0817-XXX-XXXX | chiamaka.nwachukwu@email.com

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Creative Marketing Strategist with 5+ years driving brand awareness and revenue growth for consumer brands across Lagos and Nigeria. Proven track record of executing campaigns that generated ₦180M+ in revenue. Expert in digital marketing, brand positioning, and leveraging Nigerian cultural insights to create authentic connections with diverse audiences.

CORE COMPETENCIES
Digital Marketing Strategy | Brand Management | Content Creation | Social Media Growth
Campaign Analytics | Budget Management | Team Leadership | Consumer Research

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Brand Growth & Revenue
• Spearheaded rebranding campaign for skincare line that increased market share by 32% in Lagos metropolitan area within 9 months
• Generated ₦87M in revenue through integrated digital campaign combining influencer partnerships, targeted ads, and grassroots activations across 8 Lagos locations
• Grew email subscriber base from 3,000 to 45,000 in 14 months with 28% average open rate (industry average: 18%)

Digital Excellence
• Managed ₦18M annual marketing budget across 5 brands, consistently delivering 3:1 ROI
• Increased social media engagement by 425% through culturally-relevant content strategy that resonated with Nigerian millennials and Gen-Z
• Built and led team of 4 content creators and 2 graphic designers who produced 200+ pieces of content monthly

Market Leadership
• Launched successful "Made in Lagos" campaign that positioned brand as authentically Nigerian, resulting in feature coverage across 12 media outlets
• Developed partnership strategy with 15 Lagos-based retailers, expanding distribution footprint by 40%

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Marketing Manager
BeautyHub Nigeria, Ikeja, Lagos | March 2021 - Present
Lead all marketing initiatives for skincare and cosmetics brand with ₦250M annual revenue. Manage team of 6, oversee brand strategy, digital presence, and retail partnerships across Lagos.

Marketing Officer
FreshBite Foods, Victoria Island, Lagos | June 2019 - February 2021
Executed marketing campaigns for FMCG food products. Collaborated with sales team on promotional strategies and managed social media channels.

Marketing Assistant
TrendSetters Advertising, Surulere, Lagos | August 2017 - May 2019
Supported campaign development for various client brands. Conducted market research and assisted in content creation.

EDUCATION
Master of Science in Marketing
Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University | 2021

Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication (Second Class Upper)
Covenant University, Ota | 2017

NYSC: Completed (2018)

CERTIFICATIONS
• Google Analytics Certified
• HubSpot Content Marketing Certification
• Facebook Blueprint Certified (Advanced)

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
• Member, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON)
• Member, Nigerian Institute of Marketing

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Adobe Creative Suite | Hootsuite | Google Analytics | MailChimp | Canva | WordPress | Meta Business Suite

LANGUAGES
English (Fluent) | Igbo (Native) | Yoruba (Conversational)

Sample 3: Tech Professional (Skills-Based Format)

IBRAHIM MUSA ADAMU
Yaba, Lagos | 0809-XXX-XXXX | ibrahim.adamu@email.com | GitHub: github.com/iadamu | Portfolio: ibrahimadamu.dev

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Full-stack developer with 4 years building scalable web applications for Nigerian startups and international clients. Specialized in React, Node.js, and cloud architecture. Developed 15+ production applications serving 200K+ users across Nigeria. Passionate about using technology to solve uniquely African problems.

TECHNICAL EXPERTISE

Frontend Development
• React.js, Next.js, Vue.js, TypeScript, JavaScript (ES6+)
• HTML5, CSS3, Tailwind CSS, Material-UI, Bootstrap
• State Management: Redux, Context API, Zustand
• Responsive Design, Progressive Web Apps (PWA)

Backend Development
• Node.js, Express.js, Python (Django, Flask)
• RESTful APIs, GraphQL
• Authentication: JWT, OAuth 2.0, Firebase Auth
• Microservices Architecture

Database & Cloud
• PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, Firebase Firestore
• AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), Google Cloud Platform, Heroku
• Docker, CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions)

Tools & Methods
• Git/GitHub, Jira, Agile/Scrum
• Testing: Jest, Mocha, Cypress
• API Integration: Payment (Paystack, Flutterwave), Maps, SMS

PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS & ACHIEVEMENTS

E-Commerce Platform for Nigerian SMEs
• Built full-stack marketplace connecting 500+ Lagos vendors with customers, processing ₦12M+ monthly transactions
• Integrated Paystack payment gateway with 99.8% transaction success rate
• Reduced page load time by 60% through code optimization and lazy loading
• Tech Stack: React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, AWS

Education Management System
• Developed comprehensive school management system used by 8 private schools across Lagos
• Features include student records, fee management, result processing, and parent portal
• Handles 3,000+ concurrent users during peak periods with zero downtime
• Tech Stack: Next.js, Express, MongoDB, Socket.io for real-time features

Open Source Contributions
• Contributor to 5 open-source projects with 200+ combined GitHub stars
• Built npm package for Nigerian bank account validation (1,000+ weekly downloads)

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY

Senior Software Engineer
TechPoint Africa, Yaba, Lagos | January 2023 - Present
• Lead development of media platform serving 50K+ monthly users
• Mentor 2 junior developers, conducting code reviews and technical training
• Reduced backend response time by 45% through database optimization

Software Engineer
PayConnect (Fintech Startup), Victoria Island | June 2021 - December 2022
• Developed payment processing features handling ₦500M+ monthly volume
• Collaborated with cross-functional team to launch mobile app (10K+ downloads)

Frontend Developer (Freelance)
Various Clients | August 2019 - May 2021
• Delivered 20+ web projects for Nigerian and international clients
• Maintained 4.9/5 average client rating on Upwork with 95% job success score

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Second Class Upper)
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife | 2019

NYSC: Completed (2020)

CERTIFICATIONS
• AWS Certified Developer - Associate
• Meta React Advanced Professional Certificate
• Google Cloud Professional Developer

LANGUAGES
English (Fluent) | Hausa (Native) | Yoruba (Conversational)

REFEREES
Available upon request

Common Mistakes That Cost Lagos Job Seekers

The “Fancy Over Function” Error

I have seen CVs with gold borders, multiple fonts, and elaborate designs get tossed immediately. Lagos recruiters prioritize readability over artistry (unless you’re applying for graphic design roles). Stick to:

• One or two professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Garamond)
• Black text on white background
• Consistent spacing and margins
• Simple section dividers

The Photo Predicament

Including your photo on CVs is controversial. My research shows:

• Multinational corporations in Lagos increasingly prefer CVs without photos (avoiding unconscious bias)
• Some traditional Nigerian companies still expect it
• Safest approach: Skip the photo unless the job listing specifically requests it

If including one, make it professional. No selfies, club photos, or overly filtered images. Think passport-style: plain background, professional attire, neutral expression.

To get more CV sample, click here

The Verification Minefield

Lagos employers increasingly verify claims. Never lie about:

• Degrees you don’t have
• Companies you didn’t work for
• NYSC completion status
• Professional certifications

The Nigerian professional network is smaller than you think. That “little lie” gets discovered, and word spreads fast.

The Template Trap

Using the exact template from a website without customization screams “I didn’t put in effort.” Hiring managers in Lagos see the same templates dozens of times. Even if you use a template, customize:

• Section order based on your strengths
• Color scheme (subtle)
• Content arrangement
• Achievement phrasing

Length Confusion

The Lagos Standard: 2 pages for most professionals, 1 page only if you’re fresh graduate with minimal experience, 3 pages acceptable only if you’re senior executive (10+ years) applying for C-suite roles.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Should my CV be different for applications on Jobberman versus direct company applications?

Yes. For job boards like Jobberman, use keyword-optimized CVs with standard headings and save as Word documents (ATS-friendly). For direct applications, use well-formatted PDFs with more creative presentation. The content stays similar, but technical optimization differs based on whether a computer or human reads it first.

2. How important are referees for Lagos job applications, and who should I list?

Very important—Lagos employers actually call referees. List 2-3 former supervisors, senior colleagues, or lecturers (never family or friends). Include full names, titles, organizations, and phone numbers. Always inform your referees beforehand and brief them on roles you’re applying for.

3. What if I have an employment gap, how do I address it in my CV?

Address it strategically. If you studied, freelanced, or volunteered during the gap, include it in your Work Experience section. Otherwise, briefly explain in your cover letter (education, caregiving, health). Focus on skills you developed during this time—courses, certifications, or personal projects that kept you current.

4. Is it necessary to include NYSC details if I completed it several years ago?

Yes, always. Many Lagos employers (banks, government agencies, large corporates) consider it a legal requirement. Simply state “NYSC: Completed (Year)” or “NYSC: Exempted” in your Education section.

5. Should I include my Lagos address if I currently live outside Lagos but want to relocate?

Be strategic. If relocating immediately, write “Relocating to Lagos” or your future area with “(Relocating)” next to it. In your cover letter, mention your specific relocation timeline and arrangements (e.g., “Family accommodation secured in Lekki”). This shows commitment and removes employer concerns about relocation delays.

Conclusion

The Lagos job market in 2025/2026 rewards those who understand that a CV isn’t just a document, it’s your marketing brochure, your first impression, and often your only chance to get a foot in the door. Companies like Dangote, Flutterwave, PwC, Nigerian Breweries, and Andela receive thousands of applications. Your CV needs to work harder than everyone else’s.

The formats and samples provided here come from real success stories. Candidates who moved from unemployment to offers, from small companies to multinationals, from uncertainty to career clarity.

Adapt them to your unique story, but stick to the principles: clarity over creativity, achievements over responsibilities, and honesty above all.

Now go and update that CV. Lagos is hiring, and your dream job won’t wait forever.