HOW TO GET AN NGO JOB IN NIGERIA

The NGO sector for today spreads across various
social and economic landscapes in our country.

These include humanitarian, environmental and
medical fields. Getting an NGO job in Nigeria is a
great way to cultivate and improve your
professional background. And of course this is a
great chance to improve and strengthen all of your
abilities for your further career development.

If you are looking for a job for people who dream of
helping others, if you are just beginning your way to
selecting a future career or if it is a bit too late for
you to change your career, you can go for a job at
Non-Governmental Organizations.


These
organizations are socially oriented not-for-profit
entities, independent of any government with their
own budgets, staff, plans and so on.

Some NGO’s are huge and work internationally (like
UNICEF), while others are small and local, but all
are created to solve different problems the society
faces. Among such problems may be spread of
some disease, relief of hunger, battling for human
rights and defending the abused.

Among the types of jobs available at NGO’s may be
jobs of teaching for example how to read, or how to
work in the garden, there may be jobs of raising
funds for the organization, answering the phone.
International NGO’s offer jobs in various sectors –
you may find one in marketing, PR, finance, IT,
accounting.
 
Working at NGO’s may sometimes be very
demanding due to hard working conditions, constant
travelling, some may be very dangerous with poor
living conditions. Local NGO’s may be offering part-
time jobs for volunteers at first and then – offer a
full-time position. When you take an office job at
NGO – it will not differ much from a job in the
private sector.

Note that NGOs are interested in such abilities as:
good general skills (reading, writing, computer
skills etc.);
capability to adjust and work well in hardship areas
and heavy conditions;
ability to capture and speak various languages;
medical arts (especially immediate treatment);
ability to learn fast and maintain self-composure in
the face of violence or extreme human sufferings;
survival skills.
If you have most of the above-mentioned skills,
your chance, to get a job in NGO, is very high. When
you demonstrate your dedication and commitment
to NGO-oriented missions you can get favourable
recommendation letters from well-established non-
governmental setups.
 
Top 10 NGOs in Nigeria:

United Nations Organizations

Nigerian Red Cross Society

Dangote Foundation

Women For Women International

EHealth Systems Africa

VSO Nigeria

Save The Children

Mercy Corps

USAID

Association For Reproductive And Family Health
(ARFH)

Once you decide that you want to take a job at the
NGO, you should make a list of:
Organizations you would like to work at.
Jobs you can do.

Jobs you cannot do.

This list will help you realize which jobs would be
great for you and tell you how you should begin
your search.

Working at NGO can be both – a short time
experience or even a career, it is only for you to
decide.