New Study Reveals Only 14% of Nigerian Businesses Operate Fully Remotely
In a recent report by Zoho, a leading global technology company, it was discovered that just 14% of businesses in Nigeria are currently operating fully remotely. The study, titled “The State of Productivity and Collaboration in Nigeria, 2024,” surveyed over 500 organizations with more than 50 employees to provide insights into the challenges and opportunities faced by businesses in today’s evolving work landscape.
The findings of the report indicated that a majority of Nigerian businesses, 55%, still adhere to a fully on-site operational model, while 31% have opted for hybrid work setups. The study also highlighted that roles requiring minimal collaboration tend to be filled by remote workers, whereas hybrid workers often face communication hurdles.
One of the key issues identified in the report is the proliferation of apps used in Nigerian workplaces. A staggering 51% of employees rely on between 1 and 5 apps daily, with 35% using 6 to 10 apps, and 14% utilizing more than 10 apps. Interestingly, senior executives emerged as the heaviest app users, with 81% of C-suite employees juggling over 10 apps on a daily basis, compared to 72% of junior staff who stick to 1–5 apps. Despite the heavy app usage, only half of the respondents track their tasks in a unified view, a practice more common among senior leadership.
The study also shed light on the significant connectivity challenges faced by Nigerian businesses, with issues such as poor WiFi and data problems affecting 80% of respondents, hindering effective collaboration. Furthermore, digital fatigue, reported by 54% of participants, and communication obstacles for middle managers in hybrid or remote roles were identified as major concerns.
To boost productivity, survey respondents recommended the adoption of unified platforms that offer seamless access to information across various apps (78%) and the integration of AI technologies (72%). Kehinde Ogundare, Zoho’s Country Head in Nigeria, highlighted the growing awareness among Nigerian businesses about the drawbacks of using disjointed tools and the importance of integrated solutions to streamline workflows and alleviate digital fatigue.
From an economic perspective, 51% of businesses stated that they had embraced new technologies to enhance their competitiveness, with those adopting such technologies showing a more optimistic outlook on handling competition. However, 46% of respondents pointed to the slow adoption of AI as the primary barrier to competitiveness, followed by low digital tool adoption and employees switching between multiple apps.
