How to Answer the 10 Most Common Job Interview Questions in Nigeria

Job interviews in Nigeria follow a remarkably predictable script. Across industries, company sizes, and seniority levels, the same ten questions appear with enough frequency that there is simply no excuse for not being prepared for them. And yet, most candidates are not.

Preparation is not memorising a script. It is having thought through your answers clearly enough that you can deliver them naturally, under pressure, in a room where someone is deciding whether to offer you a job. Here is what that preparation looks like for each of the ten.

1. "Tell me about yourself."

This is not an invitation to read your CV aloud. It is a test of how well you understand your own story and how confidently you can communicate it. Structure it as: who you are professionally right now, the two or three most relevant things you have done, and why you are here today. Keep it to 90 seconds maximum. End by connecting your background to the role you are interviewing for.

2. "Why do you want to work here?"

The wrong answer is any variation of "for the experience" or "because it is a reputable company." The right answer is specific — about a project, a product, a direction the company is taking, or a problem they are solving that you have genuine interest in. Research the company before every interview. Read their recent news. Look at what their leadership has been saying publicly. Use that.

3. "What is your greatest strength?"

Pick one, not five. Pick the one most relevant to this specific role. Then prove it with a brief, concrete example. "My strongest skill is financial modelling — I built the revenue forecast model my last employer used to secure Series A funding." One claim, one proof. That structure is more convincing than a list of adjectives.

4. "What is your greatest weakness?"

Do not say "I work too hard" or "I am a perfectionist." Interviewers have heard those and they signal either dishonesty or a lack of self-awareness. Give a real weakness that is not central to the role, and follow it immediately with what you have done about it. "I used to struggle with public speaking, so I joined a Toastmasters group last year and have since presented at two industry events." That is honest and shows initiative.

5. "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

Connect your ambitions to something achievable within this company or field, without making it sound like this job is just a stepping stone to somewhere else. "I want to be managing a team and taking on more strategic responsibility within this sector" is fine. "I want to start my own company in three years" is honest but reads as lack of commitment to the role.

6. "Why are you leaving your current job?"

Never say anything negative about your current employer, regardless of how justified it is. Not in any interview. "I have learned a great deal in my current role, but I am looking for an opportunity with more scope for growth in [specific area]" is the template. Keep it forward-looking.

7. "Tell me about a challenge you faced and how you handled it."

Use the STAR format: Situation (brief context), Task (what your specific responsibility was), Action (what you actually did — this is the most important part), Result (what happened). Avoid vague answers about team challenges where your individual contribution is unclear. Interviewers want to understand what you specifically did.

8. "How do you handle working under pressure?"

Give an example. Do not say "I thrive under pressure" and leave it there — everyone says that. Describe a specific high-pressure situation, what you did to manage it, and what the outcome was. Concrete beats abstract every single time.

9. "What are your salary expectations?"

Research the market rate before every interview. If you are asked first, give a range where your ideal number sits at the lower end — not the middle. "Based on my research and my experience level, I am looking at between ₦350,000 and ₦420,000." If they give you the range first, engage with it seriously — either confirm it works for you or say honestly that you were looking for slightly more and ask if there is flexibility.

10. "Do you have any questions for us?"

Always have questions. Not asking anything signals either a lack of interest or a lack of preparation. Ask about what success looks like in this role in the first 90 days. Ask what the biggest challenge the team is currently facing. Ask what the interviewer finds most rewarding about working there. These questions demonstrate genuine interest and help you evaluate whether you actually want the job.

Browse active job listings on RecruitNG and walk into your next interview with a clear, prepared, and honest set of answers.