Why are companies adopting remote and hybrid work in Nigeria?

If you look around the businesses in Nigeria, you’d notice that more and more companies are switching to remote and hybrid work structures or even combining them with the more traditional on-site work everyone is used to. While this model became most popular after COVID-19, it has proven to have benefits for both the employees and the company.

In this article, we’ll go over why remote work is becoming even more popular in Nigeria and how you can adopt it in your own company’s operations. But before we get into it, let’s go over what remote/hybrid work in Nigeria looks like.

What do remote and hybrid work in Nigeria look like?

Remote and hybrid work structures allow people to work outside traditional offices, either fully online or part-time from home.

On one hand, remote work means working entirely from anywhere with internet access, while hybrid work combines office and home days. These models gained traction after COVID-19 and are now popular in fields like tech, marketing, and customer service. In fact, Nigerian companies currently use them to cut costs and attract skilled digital workers.

However, while it has its benefits, remote work in Nigeria isn’t always smooth sailing. With issues like unstable power supply and poor internet, many remote and hybrid workers have their work disrupted very often. This is one of the reasons why coworking spaces are very popular among these individuals.

But despite these hurdles, remote and hybrid work is certainly reshaping how companies operate in Nigeria.

Why are companies switching to remote and hybrid work structures?

According to Zoho’s 2024 State of Productivity and Collaboration in Nigeria report, 31% of Nigerian companies have adopted hybrid work models, allowing employees to split their time between home and office. Another 14% of businesses now run entirely remotely, with staff working from anywhere in the country or even abroad.

This indicates a gradual shift towards more flexible work structures for both the employees and employers. Here’s why companies are making this shift:

1. It helps them save costs

Office rent in major cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja can take up a large portion of a company’s monthly expenses. Add to that the cost of diesel for generators, electricity bills, water, and transportation allowances, and you’ll find that maintaining a full in-office workforce becomes very expensive.

By reducing the number of employees who come in daily, companies can cut back on space and utility costs. In uncertain economic times, this can help reduce expenses without reducing productivity as a whole.

2. It allows for employee productivity and retention

People work better in places where they’re comfortable. And nothing gets more comfortable than the familiarity of being at home. Nowadays, companies are keen on ensuring their employees have a good work-life balance so they stay motivated and productive. Remote work helps them achieve this.

Employees are less stressed when they can work from the comfort of their home some days and avoid long journeys to work. This flexibility improves their morale and also helps companies retain staff who might otherwise leave for international opportunities offering remote work.

3. It gives them access to a wider talent pool

Remote work removes the limits of location from hiring. This just means that companies that use remote work structures can hire talent from practically anywhere in Nigeria.

This reduces the impact that competition from other companies has on their recruitment processes and allows for more diversity in the workplace.

4. It improves collaboration and creativity

Employees working from home tend to experience fewer work distractions, less commuting stress, and more control over their schedules. These benefits translate into better focus and higher-quality output.

This means that employees can perform their responsibilities more efficiently, collaborate better with other members of their teams, and find creative ways to execute tasks. This builds stronger, more effective teams.

The next steps when shifting to remote and hybrid work.

Transitioning to remote or hybrid work structures requires more than adjusting work schedules. You actually need to rethink how your teams will connect, work together, and thrive in the long term.

As such, if you’re looking to make the shift, you need to prioritize your employee’s well-being, engagement, and productivity. This means that while trying to change from a primarily on-site structure to more remote models, you have to ensure your employees don’t grow distant even when they’re working from home.

Yellowlyfe can help bridge that gap by designing events, gifting initiatives, and programs to build connection within your company. This way, you can create sustainable hybrid cultures built for long-term growth. Reach out to us to get started!