Meetings

• When introducing yourself (or on your business card), professional and academic titles are important.
• Greet everyone individually beginning with the highest ranking participants.

  Try to greet each person in a group individually, in order of seniority. This is a common sign of respect, which can also be applied to superiors. It is also appropriate to bow your head when shaking the hand of someone much obviously older than you.

  When speaking to superiors and seniors, try to avoid eye contact. In general, Nigerians make much less use of eye contact than members of Western cultures. Insisting on looking others in the eye during a conversation might easily be taken as a sign of rudeness or even aggression.

• Nigerians prefer the use of Mr./Mrs./Ms. and surname. Wait for them to use first names, before you do likewise.

• Generally, Nigerians live and work at a more relaxed pace than you might be used to. Punctuality is valued, but sticking to schedules is less important than an individual’s particular situation. Also, due to the erratic traffic conditions, being on time can be quite hard.

  Patience is a virtue you will sorely need when doing business in Nigeria. It is often wise to schedule important meetings well ahead and to call in the day before to confirm.

• Be ready to spend a lot of time on small talk at the beginning and sometimes during meetings.
• Keep the meetings professional and respectful.
• Be prepared for lots of interruptions. Stopping to take phone calls is perfectly normal during meetings.
• Meetings may take place in bars or lounges after business hours.
• Take your time. One meeting may just be a way of preparing future meetings. Don’t expect to get everything done quickly.