Don’t Get Scammed: How to Verify a Company Before Accepting a Job Offer in Nigeria
Imagine this: You’ve just finished your final exams, perhaps waiting for your NYSC call-up letter. Your phone buzzes with an email notification. It’s a job offer.
The salary looks fantastic. The job title sounds important. You feel a rush of excitement and relief. Finally, the hustle is paying off.
But hold on. Before you rush to reply with “I accept,” you need to pause.
The Nigerian job market is wild right now. While there are many legitimate opportunities, there are also countless scammers preying on desperate fresh graduates. I’ve seen smart students almost lose money to “recruitment fees” for companies that don’t exist.
Knowing how to verify a company before accepting a job offer isn’t just smart; it’s a survival skill. You don’t want to end up working for a ghost company or a toxic environment that will ruin your mental health.
Here is a practical guide on how to do your due diligence without needing a private investigator.
Step 1: The Deep Google Search (Look for the Dirt)
A shiny website proves nothing. Any secondary school student with basic coding skills can build a professional-looking website in a few hours. Don’t let a nice homepage fool you.
You need to look beyond what the company says about itself. You are looking for their external reputation.
Go to Google and type the company name followed by words like:
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“scam”
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“complaints”
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“reviews”
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“Nairaland”
Nairaland is particularly useful because if a company has been scamming Nigerians, someone has definitely complained about it there on a forum thread.
If you search for the company and the only results are their own website and social media pages, be very suspicious. A legitimate business usually has a digital footprint elsewhere—maybe a mention in a news article, partnership announcements, or a listing in a business directory.
Step 2: The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Check
This is the most official way to know if a business is legally recognized in Nigeria. Every legitimate company operating here must be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).
If they claim to be a massive “Limited Liability Company” but they don’t exist on the CAC database, that’s a massive red flag.
The good news is you don’t need to go to their Abuja office. You can use the CAC Public Search portal online for free. Just type in the company name. If they are genuine, their registration number and status should pop up.
Caution: Some small businesses or startups might operate as “Business Names” rather than limited companies, which is okay. But if they are projecting a big corporate image and aren’t registered at all, run.
Step 3: Stalk Them Professionally on Social Media & LinkedIn
You want to know what it’s really like to work there, right? You need to find the humans behind the brand.
LinkedIn is your best friend here. Search for the company on LinkedIn and click on the “People” tab.
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Do they have current employees listed?
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Do the profiles of the CEO and senior staff look real, or are they empty profiles with stock photos?
If a company claims to have 200 staff members, but only two people on LinkedIn say they work there (and one is the founder), be skeptical. Just like we discussed when looking at 16 Types of students you’ll find in Nigerian universities, you can usually spot patterns. Real companies leave human clues.
Also, check their Instagram or Twitter. Are the comments turned off? Do they only post generic motivational quotes instead of actual business activities? These can be signs of a shell company.
Step 4: Watch for Interview Red Flags (The “Vibe Check”)
Sometimes, you don’t even need Google. The company will reveal its true colors during the interview process.
Knowing how to verify a company before accepting a job offer often comes down to noticing these warning signs during your interaction with them:
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They ask for money: This is the biggest one. If they ask for a “registration fee,” “processing fee,” or money for a uniform/laptop before you start, it is a scam. Period. Real jobs pay you; you don’t pay them.
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The interview was too easy: Did they hire you instantly after a 5-minute phone call without asking any technical questions? If it seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
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Terrible communication: Are their emails full of basic grammatical errors? Are they using a free email domain (like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com) instead of a company domain? While some small businesses use Gmail, a supposed multinational corporation definitely shouldn’t.
It’s important to be prepared for legitimate interviews too. You can check out some guides on reputable sites like Indeed’s career advice to know what a normal interview process should look like.
Final Thoughts: Trust Your Gut
Don’t let desperation cloud your judgment. I know the pressure from parents and society to get a job immediately after school is immense.
But accepting an offer from a shady company can waste precious months of your life, or worse, involve you in illegal activities. Take these steps seriously.
If you’ve done all these checks and something still feels “off,” trust that feeling. Walk away. There will be other opportunities that won’t give you sleepless nights.
