Nigeria

Greetings

Men greeting Men - Men usually shake hands with the right hand. It is common to hold on to the hand during the whole initial part of the conversation. If there is a difference in status then the junior man should bow slightly. In the north of the country, instead of bowing many make a gesture of a clenched fist in front of the chest, derived from presenting spears to their Emir. It is customary in many parts for the senior person to initiate the greeting,

Women greeting Women – Handshakes are common during initial meetings. Good friends and family may exchange a kiss on the cheek and a hug in certain parts of the country.

Greetings between Men & Women – In the north of the country which is mostly Muslim, physical contact between the sexes is discouraged, so a northern woman is unlikely to shake a man’s hand and vice-versa. As a man, it’s best to wait to see if a woman offers her hand before offering yours. In the south of the country, greetings are much the same as between men.

NOTE: Throughout the country greetings are very important and can be lengthy affairs. It is expected that you should inquire after the other person’s health, studies/work, family, and so on. A quick “hello” and then moving on to business is regarded as very rude. Many of the greetings have been translated literally from local languages and can sound a bit odd: “How was the night?”, “How body?”, “How enjoyment?” for example. “Well done” is used liberally, without the sarcastic overtones it would usually have in some countries. For example, if you start talking to someone who is working you could start the conversation with “Well done! How work?”

Communication Style

• Nigerians can be very direct but getting to the point often takes some time. It’s important that people don’t feel you are rushing them.
• Patience is very important, as even getting simple things done often requires several requests but losing your temper almost never improves the situation.
• Large displays of emotion are very common and acceptable in public situations. Often times it may appear that people are arguing when in fact they are just having a conversation.

Personal Space & Touch

• Nigerians tend to have little concept of personal space. Less than an arm’s length is acceptable in most situations. More distance is usually kept between men and women, especially in the Muslim areas in the north of the country.
• While on public transportation seats may be hard to come by and it’s common for people to sit extremely close to on another.
• Members of the same sex will often touch while talking. It is not uncommon to see men walking down the street hand in hand having a conversation. Touching is also used to reinforce status, such as a senior man placing a hand on a junior’s shoulder.

Eye Contact

• Eye contact is highly dependent on gender and status. For example, women (especially in Muslim areas) will not usually make eye contact with men while talking.
• Direct eye contact is common between members of the same gender who are of the same status.
• Making direct eye contact with superiors is often seen as being confrontational and/ or rude. Deference is usually shown by the junior party bowing their head and looking at the floor while the senior party looks directly at them.

Gestures

• Many people beckon one another in the street by making sucking the lips and making a hissing or kissing sound.
• The thumb’s up sign combined with a an upward motion of the arm is considered a rude/obscene gesture by many.

Views of Time

• Nigerians themselves often talk about “Nigerian time” which is a concept where things rarely start on time, appointments are not usually made, interruptions are frequent, and one can expect to and wait for things to happen.
• Patience is very important, as even getting simple things done often requires several requests but losing your temper almost never improves the situation.
• Note that when a Nigerian says “by ten”, they usually mean “ten at the very earliest”.
• It is common for meetings to start hours late and this is usually tolerated because transportation can be very erratic and emergencies can delay people.
• In many situations, being late is also a way of showing how important you are or that you are of higher status by making the other person wait. That being said, some senior officials and business people make a point of being punctual.

Gender Roles

• There are several women in high-ranking government positions and it is common for women to work. However, most women are expected to be married and have children, remaining faithful to their husband. Unfaithfulness by men is regarded as acceptable behavior in most situations.
• In the Muslim parts of the country adult women are expected to be entirely devoted to their family.
• Foreign women are often treated as honorary men, but this will depend on the situation.
• Gender roles can vary a lot depending on which part of the country you are in.

Taboos

• Homosexuality is illegal and not tolerated in society.
• Public display of affection between members of the opposite sex is considered rude and offensive in most areas.
• Avoid greeting, giving or receiving objects or handling money or food with your left hand.

Law & Order

• The legal age for buying alcohol is 18 but is seldom enforced.

• There are stiff penalties for possession of even small amounts of illegal drugs, but as with most all laws in enforcement is erratic and often corrupt.

• Homosexuality is illegal and not tolerated in society.

Dress

• Nigerians like to dress well and will usually come to meetings in suits or in formal local clothing. For both men and women conservative yet stylish Western business clothing is fine.

Titles & Business Cards

• Names are usually given in the order of first name followed by family name. Some Nigerians may use Mr., Mrs., or Miss followed by the first name of a person.
• Titles are regarded as very important and there are many of them, for example architect and engineer are used as titles.
• It’s best to wait to be invited before you call someone by their first name.

• When it comes to business cards, it’s best to present your card with your right hand. and then accept others’ cards the same way. It’s a good idea to make eye contact and smile during the process. After receiving the card it’s best to place it on the table in front of you or in a case.

Meetings

• You should turn up on time for meetings, but be prepared for others to be late.
• Try to greet those attending in order of seniority. This can often be noted by observing who people are deferring to, who has the biggest chair, etc.
• Long greetings with a decent amount of small talk are common and polite. Asking about one’s health and family is usually a good start.
• The primary purpose of initial meetings is usually to get to know each other. Business may or may not be discussed. It’s best show patience and not try to impose your agenda.

Negotiations

• Bargaining is an important part of most purchases, business is no different.
• A little emotion during negotiation is acceptable but losing control is not.
• Decisions can take a long time, especially in civil service organizations.

In the Classroom

• Most university students dress like young people in Europe or the. However some campuses have been cracking down on “immoral” dressing by female students which includes exposing the navel or thighs.
• Grades are usually given on an A - F or 0-100% scale and then calculated as Grade Point Averages.

• Teaching is generally of the “chalk and talk” variety, with students copying down notes in a large lecture theater. Facilities for practical work are few and usually in a poor condition.

Other Observations

• It is expected that foreigners will make cultural mistakes and Nigerians are generally very tolerant. They may occasionally point out when you’ve done something wrong but will seldom be offended.