Hello Buddy,
Let's talk about the conversation you keep avoiding. The one where a hiring manager at a company in Victoria Island slides an offer across the table, your heart says "this is low," and your mouth says "thank you sir, I'm grateful for the opportunity." That gap between your heart and your mouth is costing you millions of naira over your career. Not thousands. Millions.
Here's the thing nobody tells you: in 2026, with headline inflation still running at 15.93% as of May (per the National Bureau of Statistics) and the naira trading around N1,370 to the dollar at the official window, a salary you don't negotiate is a salary that shrinks every single month you earn it. The minimum wage is still N70,000 — and even the Federal Government has admitted it no longer reflects economic reality. If the government can admit wages need reviewing, you can too.
This guide gives you the exact scripts — word for word — for negotiating a new offer, asking for a raise, and handling the awkward silence that follows. No theory. Just what to say.
Why Nigerians Don't Negotiate (And Why That's Costing You)
We were raised on gratitude, not leverage. Many of us grew up hearing that a job is a blessing and you don't question a blessing. So we enter salary conversations the way we enter a village elder's parlour — head slightly bowed, voice soft, "anything you give me, I will manage." Employers know this. Some budget for negotiation and quietly pocket the difference when you don't ask.
We fear the offer will vanish. The most common fear is that negotiating will make the company withdraw the offer. In reality, a company that has interviewed four candidates, run assessments, and done reference checks has spent real money choosing you. A polite, professional counter-offer almost never kills a deal. A rude ultimatum might. There's a difference, and the scripts below stay on the right side of it.
We don't know our number. You cannot negotiate what you cannot name. Most candidates walk in knowing only their current salary and a vague hope of "something better." That's not a strategy — that's a prayer point.
Know Your Number Before You Enter the Room
Before any negotiation, you need three numbers written down.
First, your walk-away number. The figure below which you decline, politely, no matter how nice the office snacks are. Calculate it from your actual monthly costs — rent, transport (and Lagos transport is not smiling), family obligations, savings — plus a buffer for inflation.
Second, your target number. What you'd be genuinely happy with. This should typically sit 20-30% above your current total compensation for a lateral move, and higher if you're being promoted into more responsibility.
Third, your anchor. The first number you say out loud, set slightly above your target so there's room to land on it.
Do your research like it's an exam. Ask people in your network doing similar roles at similar companies — Nigerians rarely share exact figures, but ranges travel fast in WhatsApp groups and communities like tech Twitter. Check salary guides for your industry, look at what fintechs like Paystack, Flutterwave, Moniepoint and Kuda are advertising for comparable roles, and note whether the company pays in naira or has dollar-linked components. A backend engineer earning N800,000 monthly at a traditional bank and one earning the naira equivalent of $1,500 at a remote-first startup are living in two different economies.
Count the whole package, not just base. Pension contributions, HMO quality (there is a world of difference between the HMO that covers a top private hospital and the one that covers "chemist down the road"), 13th month, leave allowance, remote work days that save you Third Mainland Bridge traffic, training budgets, and equity. A N500,000 base with 13th month, solid HMO and hybrid work can beat a N550,000 base with none of those.
The Scripts: What to Say, Word for Word
When they ask for your expected salary in an interview. Do not blurt out a number first if you can help it. Try: "I'd like to understand the full scope of the role before I commit to a figure. Could you share the budgeted range for this position?" Many Nigerian companies do have a range and many recruiters will tell you if you ask calmly. If they insist, give your anchor as a range: "Based on my research and the value I'll bring, I'm looking at between N900,000 and N1,100,000 monthly gross, depending on the overall package."
When the offer comes in low. Never reject on the spot, and never accept on the spot either. Say: "Thank you — I'm genuinely excited about this role and the team. I'd like to review the full offer and come back to you by Thursday." Then, in your follow-up call or email: "I want to make this work. Based on the scope we discussed — owning X and delivering Y — and the market for this role, I was expecting something closer to N1,000,000. Is there flexibility to close that gap?" Then stop talking. The silence will feel like NEPA just took the light. Let it sit. The first person to speak after the number usually concedes ground.
