You just finished school. Your CV is fresh, your energy is high, and someone offers you an “internship opportunity.” No pay, just “exposure.” You’ll gain experience, they say. You’ll be learning, they say.
Sound familiar?
The Setup
Unpaid internships are everywhere in Nigeria — from media houses to law firms to tech startups, and for a lot of young graduates, they feel like the only way to enter the corporate space asides nepotism. After all, every job posting is asking for “2-3 years of experience.” Where else are you supposed to get it?
So, you take the unpaid role, you show up every day, do real work, and three months later, you either get a token stipend or a handshake and a goodbye.
When It Makes Sense
Not every unpaid internship is a trap. If it’s at a genuinely prestigious organisation where the network alone can open doors, or if it’s short (4-8 weeks), structured, and you’re actually learning a skill — it can be worth it. Think: a brief stint at a top law firm, a media internship that gets your byline out there, or a tech role where you’re building real projects for your portfolio.
The key question is: what exactly am I walking away with? A certificate? A skill? A contact who will actually pick up when you call? If the answer is vague, that’s a red flag.
When It’s Just Exploitation
If you’re doing the same work as paid staff, covering shifts, generating revenue for the business, and receiving nothing in return — that’s not an internship. That’s free labour dressed in professional language. Nigeria’s labour market has a long history of taking advantage of young people who are desperate to start, and the “just be grateful for the opportunity” narrative keeps that system running.
Your Move
Before you say yes, ask three things: Is there a clear learning structure? Is there any form of compensation (even transport)? Do people who interned here actually get hired or referred? If you’re getting blanks on all three, you’re allowed to walk away. Your time has value — even before someone starts paying you for it.
