Employing Foreign Staff in Nigeria: The Immigration Reforms Employers Must Follow

Employing a foreign national in Nigeria involves two government bodies. The Federal Ministry of Interior approves expatriate quotas, and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) issues visas and residence permits. Both made major changes in 2025.

The expatriate quota

Before a company can employ a foreign national, it needs an expatriate quota approval from the Ministry of Interior. The approval states how many expatriate positions the company may fill and what those positions are.

The 2025 reforms

Everything is online

Since 1 May 2025, applications for expatriate quotas, business permits and related approvals go through the Ministry's online Expatriate Administration System on the ecitibiz.interior.gov.ng portal. Since 1 August 2025, the Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card (CERPAC) application process has also been fully digital.

Stricter understudy rules

Each expatriate position must have qualified Nigerian understudies, and the Ministry has said it will enforce this more strictly, with audits. Quotas are no longer approved for roles such as drivers, cooks and waiters, which Nigerians can fill.

CERPAC tied to the quota

In April 2026 the Ministry said expatriate quota approvals now feed directly to the NIS, so residence permits are only issued against a valid quota. If a quota lapses, the employee's residence status is affected.

Visas

Since 1 May 2025, visas are applied for online, visa on arrival has been replaced by the e-visa, and travellers complete online landing and exit cards. The Nigeria Visa Policy 2025 also introduced a temporary work permit visa for short assignments.

The expatriate employment levy

In February 2024 the Federal Government announced a levy of US$15,000 a year for each director level expatriate and US$10,000 for other expatriates. It was suspended in March 2024, and at the time of writing it remains suspended.

Practical steps for employers

1. 1.Audit every expatriate employee: quota position, CERPAC and visa validity, and whether their actual role matches the approved designation.
2. 2.Make sure understudies are in place and documented.
3. 3.Keep a calendar of expiry dates. We advise starting renewals at least 60 days before expiry.
4. 4.Keep copies of every online application and approval.

Breaches can lead to fines, loss of quota positions and removal of the employee from Nigeria.