Nigeria

Language: English is used in business transactions Currency: Naira (NGN) Dialing Code: International Code is +234 Time Zone: Nigeria is +1 GMT Meals: Food varies by the holiday and what time of year it is

Greeting in Nigeria:
 * Welcome everyone with a beautiful smile. Men place their left hand on the other person's shoulder while shaking hands.
 * It is very impolite to rush the greeting price
 * Always ask about the person's health and their families' health
 * Wait for the woman to extend her hand
 * Observant Muslims usually will shake hands with the other sex
 * Always bow your head when meeting someone much older

Business Etiquette:


 * Handshakes are the most common way to greet people
 * Always wait for the woman to extend her hand first
 * At the beginning and ending of all meetings, shake hands with the other people in the meeting
 * Do not rush the greeting and ask about the other person's well being
 * Lower your eyes when talking to someone older than you
 * Do not call people by their first name until asked to do so
 * When giving or receiving business cards, use two hands or your right hand, never use just your left hand
 * Never write on your business cards, if something has changed, print a new business card
 * Look at the business card you receive before putting it away[[image:http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSgZrdM2eu5JAeF5DgGfQrACfS1oprJE7frex6fm3O8d9JnjCJjtQ width="319" height="158" align="right"]]

Communication Style:


 * Communication style varies based on what part of the country you are in
 * In the southwest, proverbs are often incorporated to enrich the meaning of what they are saying
 * Humor is often used to prevent boredom during long conversations
 * In the south, people tend to speak more directly
 * Many Nigerians are nice and outgoing people
 * Many use hand gestures when communicating
 * Direct eye contact can be considered to be intrusive unless you have a personal relationship with that person

Business Meetings:


 * Nigerians want to have a personal relationship with you before conducting business. So the first time you meet someone expect to spend a lot of your time talking about your personal lives
 * The first few meetings will be formal. Wait for your business partner to drop his formalities before you do.
 * Make sure you and your team members agree on everything. Any disagreements may cause them to think that they should proceed cautiously with the deal
 * Send the business agenda before the meeting occurs.

Holidays:

New Years (January 1) Id-El-Fitri (January 9-10) Id-El-Kabir (March 17) Hajire (New Year, April 7-18) Good Friday, Easter Monday, Worker's Day, Children's Day, National Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day Id-El-Maulud

Sources:

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