Office Politics in Nigeria: 5 Things I Wish I Knew to Get Ahead at Work

Hard work isn’t enough! These 5 Nigerian professionals spill the real tea on how they got ahead at work—from strategic schmoozing to job-hopping. (No, it’s not witchcraft, it’s office politics done right 😉)

“Just keep your head down and work hard.” We’ve all heard that advice. 

And sure, hard work matters – but if that’s all you do, you might find yourself watching the office chatterbox climb the ladder while you wonder what went wrong. The truth is, thriving at work often means playing a bit of the game: the networking, the strategising, the politics (gasp!). 

Before you say “I hate politics,” hear us out. We spoke to professionals across Africa who learned the real rules of career growth the hard way. From a one-time wallflower who learned to schmooze (without selling her soul), to a serial job-hopper with zero regrets, these confessions will have you rethinking what it actually takes to move up. Grab a seat – class is in session on the stuff they don’t print in the HR manual.

“I thought doing the work was enough – nope, I had to get noticed.” — Chiamaka, 26, Lagos*

Fresh out of uni, I was that idealistic “meritocracy” believer. I joined a big audit firm and vowed to let my spreadsheets and late nights speak for me. Meanwhile, a colleague (let’s call her Tolu) was busy volunteering to organise team hangouts and chat up the partners about football. I scoffed at how much she “carried face” around the bosses. Fast forward a year: Tolu got assigned a high-profile client (and later, a promotion), while I was still the invisible workhorse. 

One mentor finally pulled me aside and said, “Your work is great, but no one knows you outside this cubicle. Speak up!” 

It was a slap of reality. I started small – sharing updates in meetings, grabbing lunch with colleagues from other teams, even talking about my weekend with the manager to build rapport. It felt weird, but I noticed people started actually recognising my contributions. Hard work alone wasn’t enough; I had to shine a light on it. Last month alone, I got staffed on an international project I’d been eyeing. Was it because I suddenly became the smartest? No, I reckon it’s because the decision-makers finally knew who I was. Office politics isn’t about gossiping or sucking up; sometimes it’s simply about making sure your name comes up in the right rooms. I learned to make that happen, and girl – it’s paying off.

“Yes, I network with the higher-ups. No, I’m not sorry.” — Yosoye, 34, Abuja*

I’ve been called “brown-noser,” “ass kisser,” and everything in between at different points in my career. Do I flatter the bosses a bit and laugh at the ED’s dry jokes? Sure. 

But here’s what my colleagues don’t get: I genuinely learn from these big guns and make myself visible. Early in my banking career, I noticed one guy always got pulled into special projects. His secret? He’d chat with our director about golf every Monday and ask him for career advice. So I tried it. I started popping by our country manager’s office with updates and a question or two about the business direction. I’d say things like, “I read about X trend – do you think it might affect our strategy?” 

The first time I did it, my palms were literally sweating, but he lit up and shared insights. Before long, he knew me by name. Opportunities started finding me after that – I got assigned to represent our Lagos team (all the way from Abuja) at a regional conference (my peers were shook). One even sneered that I was “paddy paddy” with management. I won’t lie, that comment stung for a minute. But I brushed it off because the results speak: the last two quarters, I’ve snagged promotions that I suspect I wouldn’t have gotten if I stayed quietly in my lane. To me, networking up isn’t slimy; it’s smart. I respect my higher-ups, and I make sure they see my respect and my value. Call it kissing ass if you want – I call it leveraging connections. And in this world? Connections are currency.

“Job hopping was my cheat code – but one jump nearly backfired.” — Brian, 27, Lagos*

By 27, I’ve worked at four companies in totally different industries. Crazy? Maybe. But each hop came with a 50-80% salary bump and new skills. I went from a telecom firm to a global SaaS startup to an NGO, and now I’m at a fintech – basically doubling my pay in three years. Yeah, I’m that guy on LinkedIn with a timeline that makes recruiters go “hmm”. My friends thought I was nuts (“Bro, won’t they think you’re unreliable?”). Honestly, I didn’t care – I had a plan. I treated my early career like an all-you-can-eat buffet, sampling roles and grabbing the best offer each time. And it worked… until my last jump. 

I was gunning for a dream role at a multinational, and during the interview, the manager said, “You’ve moved around a lot – how do I know you won’t bounce in a year?” Ouch. I had to convince them I was ready to settle and grow with a team (I might have stretched the truth a bit about wanting “long-term stability”). I did get the job, but that was a wake-up call that my hopper reputation could bite me. My take? Jumping ship can fast-track your career and bank account, especially in a market like ours where loyalty often doesn’t pay. Just be strategic: make sure you’re actually learning at each job, not burning bridges, and be ready to explain your moves as intentional. I have zero regrets – I own my story. But I also know my next move might be to stay put a while and build depth, not just breadth. Even rolling stones need to chill eventually.

“I learned to ‘manage up’ – and suddenly my ideas got approved.” — Lola, 33, Lagos*

For years, I struggled to get my projects approved by our company’s execs. I’m a product manager, and I’d pour my heart into detailed proposals, only to have them get shot down with vague responses like “not aligned with priorities.” It drove me insane. I assumed the higher-ups were just out of touch. Then, at a leadership workshop, a speaker said something that hit me: “Learn your boss’s language.” I realized I’d been speaking Geek to a crowd that wanted Dollar. I focused my proposals on technical brilliance, while our CEO cared about ROI and market share. So I flipped the script. Next big idea I had, I led with the business impact: projected revenue, customer growth, and how it supports her vision for expansion into West Africa. I even threw in a line about how it’d make the board happy (that one was just me anticipating her concerns). The result? She greenlit it in one meeting. I nearly fell off my chair. Over time, I’ve started getting a reputation upstairs as someone who “gets it”. All because I learned to present things from the angle that matters to them. Apparently, you have to frame your work in the context of the bigger picture. Now, I coach my younger colleagues on this. One guy on my team had a solid idea that kept getting ignored. I helped him tweak the pitch to highlight how it’d save costs, not just be cool tech – boom, approval! Honestly, I wish I’d known this trick earlier: speak the language of the decision-makers, and they’ll finally listen.

“Seven years of loyalty got me nothing. One strategic move changed everything.” — Feyi, 35, Abuja*

I used to wear my loyalty like a badge of honor. Joined my first company straight out of NYSC and told myself I’d climb to the top right there. For seven years, I slogged faithfully at that place. I watched colleagues leave and thought, “Traitors! I’ll be rewarded for staying.” Plus, I knew the person who ran the company and figured I didn’t want to sly my own person.

Well, my reward was… stagnation. I mean, I wasn’t doing badly – I became a senior analyst. But the promotion to manager I prayed for? It went to the MD’s guy who swooped in from another company. My 7-year loyalty meant squat when they brought in an outsider above me. I was heartbroken. So, I finally made a move. Through a friend, I heard a tech company in Abuja was hiring, and they loved that I had telco experience. I jumped ship and negotiated hard – something I never dared to do before. They offered me a managerial role and a 50% salary increase; and I started feeling like I was in a Nollywood movie. I was kicking myself thinking of all the peanuts I accepted for years. In my first week at the new job, I kept expecting to feel guilty or like the new kid. Instead, I felt liberated. And guess what: my old boss called me two months later, begging me to come back with a pay raise. I respectfully declined. I’m not saying loyalty is worthless, but I learned that companies will put themselves first, so you better do the same for yourself. Sometimes that means betting on yourself and walking away. I wish I hadn’t waited so long to do it, but hey – live and learn, right?

Names have been changed to protect the identity of the subjects.*

The Bottom Line 

Climbing the career ladder isn’t as straightforward as “work hard and be good at your job.” As these stories show, it’s also about strategy – making sure the right people see your work, building genuine relationships, and knowing when to stick or twist. Office politics gets a bad rap because, sure, nobody likes a fake friend or flattery without substance. But think of it less as “politics” and more as workplace savvy. 

Sometimes it’s as simple as speaking up about your accomplishments, or taking that manager out for coffee to pick their brain. It could mean owning your career moves like our job-hopper, rather than waiting for a company to hand you a future. And yes, it might mean saying “hi” to the boss and laughing at a corny joke – not because you’re spineless, but because you understand that visibility matters. 

The key is to do it your way: with integrity and purpose. In the end, the game will be played with or without you. The advice here is to engage: observe the dynamics, adapt, and make them work for you. Do this, and you won’t just survive office politics – you’ll thrive in it, on your own terms.

FAQ

1. Is office politics always bad? No. It can be relationship-building, visibility, and understanding decision-making.

2. What does “managing up” mean? Communicating in ways that support your manager’s priorities and KPIs.

3. Does job hopping hurt your career in Nigeria? It depends. It can boost pay fast, but you need a clear story and skills growth.