Nigeria (NG)

Rules: Under Section 16 of the Labour Act, workers are entitled to up to 12 working days of paid sick leave per year, conditional on producing a certificate from a registered medical practitioner. Sick leave pay is the basic wage (excluding overtime and allowances). Many professional and corporate contracts substantially improve on this minimum — confirm the exact entitlement in your written contract.

Doctor note: Required to access statutory sick leave — a certificate from a registered medical practitioner must be provided. In practice most employers require this from Day 1 of absence or within 2–3 days; the exact trigger should be specified in the contract.

Employer pay: Full basic wage for up to 12 working days of statutory sick leave per year; employer pays directly. Many professional/multinational contracts provide 1–3 months of full contractual sick pay above the statutory minimum. Beyond contractual sick pay, employees must rely on private health insurance or employer HMO plans.

Long-term: There is no national statutory long-term sickness benefit for most workers. The Employees Compensation Act 2010 provides disability and work-injury benefits through the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). Private employer HMO plans and group income protection insurance are the main safety net for extended illness; confirm coverage with your HR before starting.

Max hours: The Labour Act does not set an absolute weekly maximum for all workers, but standard full-time work is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week in most professional and corporate environments. Sector-specific rules (oil and gas, factories) and collective agreements provide additional limits. Workers should agree in writing on total hours before starting.

Min rest: Workers are entitled to at least one rest day (usually Sunday) per week under the Labour Act. A minimum 12-hour rest between shifts is expected in regulated industries. Public holidays are gazetted federally and in each state; confirm the applicable list with your employer.

Overtime: Overtime arrangements must be specified in the employment contract or collective agreement. There is no single universal statutory overtime rate, but overtime is commonly paid at 1.25–1.5× the basic hourly rate; drivers, domestic staff, security personnel and factory workers should have overtime specifically documented to avoid non-payment disputes.