← All procedures
Labour · Nigeria

Obtain a recruiter's licence (private employment agency)

License a recruitment/manpower agency with the Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment — domestic or international placement: incorporate with a recruitment object clause → meet statutory-compliance and bond requirements → inspection → licence fee ₦200,000.

4
steps
3
agencies involved
Who you will deal with
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)Federal Ministry of Labour & EmploymentFederal Ministry of Labour & Employment (Controller)
The steps
  1. 1Incorporate with a recruitment object clause
    Agency
    Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC)
    What is required
    Incorporate a company whose MEMART carries recruitment of labour as an object clause. Two licence categories exist: domestic placement (employment within Nigeria) and international placement (employment outside Nigeria).
    Documents
    CIC; MEMART with recruitment object clause
    Typical timeline
    Weeks
  2. 2Meet the statutory-compliance requirements
    Agency
    Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment
    What is required
    Provide evidence of PFA registration (Pension Reform Act 2014), NSITF registration (Employees' Compensation), a staff handbook/conditions of service, evidence of health insurance or medical retainership, and a management profile establishing competence.
    Documents
    PFA + NSITF registration; handbook; health cover; management profile
    Typical timeline
    Documentation
  3. 3Provide the bank guarantee / insurance bond
    Agency
    Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment
    What is required
    Provide a bank guarantee or insurance bond scaled to the number of workers recruited. Domestic: oil & gas companies ₦3,000,000 (1-100 employees) rising to ₦5,000,000 (over 100); other businesses ₦1,500,000 (1-100) rising to ₦3,000,000 (over 100).
    Documents
    Bank guarantee or insurance bond
    Typical timeline
    Before approval
  4. 4Approval, licence fee and issuance
    Agency
    Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment (Controller)
    What is required
    On the Controller's approval, pay a licence fee of ₦200,000 and send evidence of payment to the Controller's office in Abuja for issuance of the recruiter's licence. Inspection and renewal apply.
    Documents
    Licence fee ₦200,000; proof of payment
    Typical timeline
    On approval

Primary source: https://labour.gov.ng/recruiters-licence/ · confidence: high

The numbers behind the decision

Knowing the process is half of it. ONYX also tracks the operating environment you are entering — daily grid generation, official FX, state-level input prices and inflation, and sector output — each figure source-linked and dated.

ONYX publishes what the responsible agencies publish, with a link to each source. Requirements, fees and timelines change, and an officer's reading of a rule can differ from the published text. Verify against the linked source before you commit money — this is reference information, not legal advice.

ONYX Data & Intelligence · hello@onyxdata.io