Nigeria · Relocation guide
Moving to Nigeria: a practical relocation guide
A Nigerian employment move normally runs from an employer expatriate-quota slot to an STR entry visa and then CERPAC regularisation. Short-visit and business e-visas do not authorise employment.
Content updated 12 September 2026. Individual source-check dates are listed below.
Choose the legal route before the travel route
For expatriate employment, the Nigerian employer first needs an approved quota position. The Nigeria Immigration Service then describes an R2A/STR entry visa followed by regularisation into CERPAC; it restricts the worker to the sponsoring employer. Do not substitute the short business e-visa or a meeting invitation for this chain.
A founder should separate incorporation, the company Business Permit, expatriate quota and each person’s immigration permission. Nigeria also lists investor and highly skilled residence categories, but the approved investment or skill category must match the activity.
| Plan | VisaAtlas route | Boundary to verify |
|---|---|---|
| STR employment visa | Subject to Regularisation (STR) Employment Visa | Employer must hold the matching expatriate-quota slot. |
| CERPAC residence and work card | CERPAC (Combined Expatriate Residence Permit and Aliens Card) | Regularise after entry and work only for the recorded sponsor. |
| Foreign-owned business | Business Permit (foreign-owned company) | Company permit and expatriate quota are separate from personal status. |
| Investor residence | Investor Visa (multiple-entry) | Investment evidence does not replace company and activity licences. |
Make the STR-to-CERPAC hand-off explicit
Ask the employer for the quota approval, signed contract, immigration-responsibility letter and filing owner before travel. The official R2A page currently describes the STR as an entry document and CERPAC as the renewable status obtained after arrival.
Complete biometric capture through the official digital CERPAC process and compare employer, occupation and validity with the contract. Keep the application reference and card copy independently of the employer.
Register family members and the real address
Nigeria lists separate dependant categories for spouses, minors, adult dependants and some parents. A dependant document is not an open work permit; an adult taking a job needs the correct employment basis.
Use a verified lease and inspect power, water, backup supply, access and service-charge obligations. The state and city determine commute and school practicality, while the immigration sponsor remains a federal question.
Separate payroll, banking and tax residence
A bank may ask for passport, CERPAC, Nigerian address, tax number, employer evidence and source of funds. Confirm the bank’s list before transferring relocation funds and check the first payroll against the signed contract.
Immigration status does not determine every Nigerian or home-country tax result. Keep travel dates, payslips, benefits, foreign income and business invoices, then confirm filing and withholding with the Nigeria Tax Authority or a qualified cross-border adviser.
Plan health, school and regional security
Obtain employer and private-policy details for every family member, including provider network, evacuation and chronic-condition limits. Carry vaccination records, prescriptions and school reports; confirm a school place before choosing a commute.
Official travel advice distinguishes Nigerian states and routes. Check the exact destination and any road journey immediately before travel; a valid visa or CERPAC is not evidence that an insurer will cover the trip.
Control sponsor changes, renewal and exit
Do not begin work for a second company or move to a new quota position until Immigration and the Ministry processes are complete. Track passport, quota, contract and CERPAC dates separately.
Before departure, obtain employment and tax records, settle the lease and utilities, and confirm cancellation or transfer for the principal and every dependant. Preserve the CERPAC and travel history for later applications.
Your moving checklist
Tick off the tasks that apply to you. The timing is a planning order, not a substitute for the deadlines on your permission or an official instruction.
0 of 13 tasks completed
Sources and checks
The linked authorities set the rules. VisaAtlas explains how the steps fit together; planning suggestions are not a decision on your immigration status, tax residence or entitlement to services.
- Nigeria Immigration Service: Employment Visa (Expatriate) R2ASource checked 12 September 2026
- Nigeria Immigration Service: e-CERPAC portalSource checked 12 September 2026
- Federal Ministry of Interior: Citizenship and Business servicesSource checked 12 September 2026
- Nigeria Tax AuthoritySource checked 12 September 2026
- UK government: Nigeria travel adviceSource checked 12 September 2026