Should I Include State of Origin on My CV in Nigeria?

If you are asking "should I include state of origin on my CV in Nigeria?", the honest answer is: it depends on who will read it. For most private-sector, tech and international roles, leave it off. For some government and public-sector applications, the employer may ask for it, often on a separate form.

This guide gives you a decision rule by employer type, explains why tech and remote employers have dropped the old personal information block, and gives you a lean contact template you can paste in today.

Should I include state of origin on my CV in Nigeria? The short answer

Use this rule of thumb:

• Include it only when the job ad, application portal or recruiter explicitly asks for it.
• Leave it off when nobody has asked, especially for private companies, startups, multinationals and any remote or overseas employer.
• Never change it to look more eligible for a role. If an employer later verifies it against your documents, a mismatch can cost you the job.

The traditional Nigerian CV often opened with a full personal data section: date of birth, sex, marital status, state of origin, LGA, religion and sometimes hometown. Many Nigerian employers no longer expect this. Your CV is a marketing document about your skills, not an identity form.

The decision rule by employer type

Here is a quick reference. Always let the specific job ad override this table.

Employer type	State of origin on CV?	Where it usually goes instead
Federal or state government, MDAs, parastatals	Only if requested	The online application form or a bio-data form
Large Nigerian banks, oil and gas, conglomerates	Usually no	HR onboarding forms after an offer
Nigerian SMEs and family businesses	Optional, usually no	Ask if the ad is unclear
Tech startups (Nigerian or foreign-funded)	No	Not normally needed
Remote and international employers	No	Not relevant to the role

Government, MDAs and parastatals

Nigeria's public sector operates under the federal character principle in the Constitution, which aims for fair representation of states in federal institutions. Because of this, public-sector recruitment portals commonly collect state of origin and LGA.

In practice, that information usually goes into the portal fields, not the CV itself. If the portal has a field for it, fill it in accurately and keep your CV focused on qualifications and experience. If a printed CV format is specified and it includes state of origin, follow the instructions exactly. Check the official recruitment notice for each role, as requirements vary between agencies and states.

Banks, oil and gas and large private employers

Most large private employers screen on qualifications, NYSC status, location and experience. State of origin rarely helps a recruiter decide whether you can do the job, and taking it out frees up space. If HR needs it for records, they will collect it after an offer, along with your ID and other documents.

For more on what these employers do want to see, read what CV format Nigerian banks prefer.

SMEs and family businesses

Smaller employers vary. Some older hiring managers still expect a personal data section out of habit. If the ad gives no guidance, a lean CV is the safer default: it looks current and nobody is likely to reject you for leaving out your LGA. If you are unsure, it is fine to ask the contact person what format they prefer.

Tech startups, remote and international roles

Leave it off. These employers screen on skills, portfolio, time zone and communication. A state of origin line adds nothing they can use, and it can make your CV look like it was written for a different market.

Why tech and remote employers drop personal info blocks

It is not just fashion. There are a few practical reasons.

1. Anti-discrimination norms in their home markets

Many remote employers are based in, or follow the hiring practices of, the UK, US, Canada or Australia. In those countries, hiring teams are trained to avoid collecting information linked to protected characteristics, such as national or ethnic origin, religion, age and marital status, before they make decisions. A CV that volunteers these details can make a recruiter uncomfortable, because they then have information they would rather not hold.

2. Data protection

Personal data carries obligations. Nigeria has the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023, the UK has UK GDPR, and other countries have their own rules. Employers who receive more personal information than they need may have to store and handle it carefully. Many simply prefer CVs that contain only what is necessary to assess the application.

3. It is irrelevant to the work

A remote employer in Toronto hiring a customer support agent in Lagos cares about your English, your internet reliability, your hours of availability and your experience. Your state of origin tells them nothing about any of these.

4. Space and readability

A personal data block can take up a quarter of the first page. Recruiters skim the top of a CV first. Replacing that block with a strong profile and your most relevant experience puts your best information where it is most likely to be read.

5. Applicant tracking systems

An applicant tracking system (ATS) stores and organises applications, and many let recruiters search by keywords. Extra personal fields do not make you more findable for the job. They just add noise. Clean headings and relevant, truthful keywords matter more. If you want to see how your CV lines up with a specific ad, the QuickApplyPilot ATS CV checker gives a match estimate. It is our own estimate, not the score any employer's system will give you.

What to put instead: a lean contact block

Here is a template that works for most Nigerian private-sector, tech and international applications:

Adaeze Okafor Customer Support Specialist Lagos, Nigeria (open to remote, GMT+1) | +234 800 000 0000 | adaeze.okafor@email.com | linkedin.com/in/adaezeokafor

That is it. Notice what is included and why:

• City and country: employers need to know your location and time zone, not your hometown.
• Time zone or remote availability: very useful for remote roles.
• Professional email: firstname.lastname style if possible.
• LinkedIn or portfolio: if it is up to date.

And what is gone: date of birth, sex, marital status, state of origin, LGA, religion, hometown and a photo (unless the employer asks for one).

For a fuller breakdown of each section by employer, see our guide to the Nigerian CV format by employer.

Keep a separate bio-data file

Because some public-sector and corporate forms still ask for personal details, keep a simple document with your state of origin, LGA, NIN, date of birth, NYSC certificate number and next of kin. When a form asks, copy accurately from it. This keeps your CV clean without scrambling for details later.

How the advice differs by country

If you apply outside Nigeria, the case for leaving personal details off becomes stronger. This is general information only, not legal advice. Check official government sources for the country you are applying to.

• UK: CVs normally contain no date of birth, marital status, nationality line or photo. The Equality Act 2010 lists protected characteristics, including race (which covers nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion and age. Your right to work is usually checked separately.
• US: Resumes typically leave out personal details and photos. The EEOC explains national origin discrimination under federal law. Work authorisation may be asked on the application form.
• Canada: Resumes usually omit age, marital status, place of origin and photos. Provincial and federal human rights laws protect against discrimination on grounds such as place of origin. Our Canadian resume format for newcomers covers the conversion step by step.
• Australia: CVs generally exclude age, marital status and religion. Federal and state anti-discrimination laws apply to hiring.

In all four countries, a Nigerian state of origin line would look out of place and could prompt recruiters to wonder whether your CV is tailored to their market.

Checklist before you send

Run through this in two minutes:

1. Did the job ad or portal specifically ask for state of origin? If no, delete it.
2. If it did ask, is the detail accurate and consistent with your ID and certificates?
3. Is your header limited to name, title, location, phone, email and LinkedIn or portfolio?
4. Have you removed date of birth, marital status, religion and LGA (unless requested)?
5. For remote roles, have you stated your time zone or working-hours availability?
6. Does the space you freed up now show a short profile and your most relevant experience?
7. Is everything on the CV true? Tailoring means choosing what to highlight, not inventing details.

The simplest version of the rule: include state of origin when an employer asks for it, give it accurately, and otherwise let your skills take the space.