How to negotiate salary in Naira without losing the offer

Most Nigerian candidates lose money twice: once by accepting the first figure, and once by not knowing what the figure actually leaves them at the end of the month. This is how to fix both.

Find the range before the interview

Walk in with a band, not a wish. Three sources, in order of reliability:

1. 1Adverts for the same title. Look at ten recent adverts in the same city and note the disclosed ranges. Our board shows the salary an employer disclosed, where they disclosed one.
2. 2People in the role. One polite message to someone two years ahead of you is worth more than any salary website.
3. 3Recruiters. Ask the agency what band the client has budgeted. They usually know and often say.

Do not name a number first

If asked early, deflect once, politely:

If they push again, give the band. Not a single figure: a band, with your target at the bottom of it and your hope at the top.

Work out your real floor

Your floor is not what you want. It is what you can survive on without borrowing. Add it up honestly, monthly:

• Rent, divided by twelve if you pay annually (most Lagos landlords do).
• Transport to and from that specific office, at that specific time of day.
• Food, data, electricity, water.
• Anything you send home. Be honest — it is not optional.
• Debt repayments and a small buffer for the month something breaks.

Gross, net and the deductions nobody explains

Always ask whether the figure is gross or net, and get it in writing. On a Nigerian payslip you will typically see:

• PAYE — income tax, deducted at source. Under the tax reforms that took effect in January 2026, the first ₦800,000 of annual income is taxed at 0%, and the next band at 15%.
• Pension — 8% of your basic, with the employer adding 10%, for organisations with 15 or more staff.
• NHF — 2.5% of basic, if your employer deducts it.
• HMO and other benefits — usually free to you, occasionally shared.

A ₦300,000 gross offer can be closer to ₦270,000 in your account. Ask for a sample payslip before you accept.

The counter-offer script

Then stop talking. The silence is doing the work.

Four things worth more than basic pay

1. 1A six-month review with a written number attached. “We review annually” is worth less than “₦X at six months, subject to performance”.
2. 2HMO that covers your dependants, not just you. This is real money.
3. 3Transport allowance, especially in Lagos and Abuja. It is often tax-free where basic is not.
4. 413th month, leave days and training budget. Three extra days and a certification can be worth more than ₦20,000 on basic.

When they say the budget is fixed

Sometimes it genuinely is — a public sector grade level, a donor-funded band, a role with a published scale. You can usually tell the difference: a real fixed band comes with a document behind it.

If it is fixed, stop pushing on basic. Move the conversation to the things that are not in the band:

1. 1An earlier review — six months rather than twelve, with a number attached.
2. 2A transport or data allowance that sits outside the grade.
3. 3One funded certification in the first year.
4. 4Additional leave, or a compressed week.

The email after the call

Whatever you agree on the phone, put it in writing the same day. It protects you and it makes you look organised:

Sent politely, this is not confrontational — it is the behaviour of someone who reads contracts. It also gives the employer a chance to correct a misunderstanding before it becomes a resignation letter three months later.