Daniel Otera
As Nigeria’s workforce increasingly embraces remote work, a complex reality emerges: while fully remote workers report higher engagement, they are less likely to thrive overall compared to their hybrid and on-site counterparts. The latest Gallup report highlights this, revealing elevated levels of stress, loneliness, and emotional strain among fully remote employees, raising critical questions about the sustainability of Nigeria’s growing remote work culture. With the country’s tech sector booming, employing over 300,000 remote workers in 2024, according to Jobberman Nigeria, the implications for both individuals and businesses are profound.
The Gallup report paints a stark picture of the emotional challenges faced by fully remote workers. Compared to their hybrid and on-site counterparts, those working entirely from home are more likely to experience anger, sadness, and loneliness. The study further notes that fully remote employees reported higher stress levels than on-site workers, with stress levels comparable to those of hybrid workers.
“Isolation can increase loneliness and, in the absence of social support, contribute to sadness and anger,” the report states, emphasizing the human cost of physical distance from colleagues.
In Nigeria, where communal culture plays a significant role in daily life, the importance of social interactions at work cannot be overstated. A 2023 survey by the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics reveals that 70% of Nigerians believe social activities, such as team lunches and casual conversations, are key drivers of job satisfaction. This finding aligns with global research, including the Gallup report, which states, “Spending time with others plays a key role in positive life evaluations. For example, sharing meals with others is as strong an indicator of well-being as income.”
Indeed, the 2025 World Happiness Report supports this notion, highlighting that individuals who share meals with others report higher levels of life satisfaction, greater positive emotions, and reduced negative ones. This underscores the profound impact of communal interactions on both personal well-being and professional satisfaction.
For remote workers in cities like Lagos or Abuja, where long commutes often limit social time, the absence of workplace camaraderie can exacerbate feelings of isolation. The data shows that only 45% of fully remote workers in Nigeria feel they are “thriving,” compared to 60% of hybrid workers and 65% of on-site workers.
While remote work offers flexibility a top priority for 68% of Nigerian workers, per a 2024 LinkedIn survey the Gallup report reveals a hidden downside: excessive autonomy can be stressful.
“While it could boost engagement by giving employees more control over their time, too much autonomy could create stress,” the report explains. Remote workers often face the challenge of managing their time independently and coordinating with colleagues without clear boundaries, leading to cognitive overload.
This is particularly relevant in Nigeria’s fast-paced tech and freelance sectors, where remote workers juggle multiple projects across time zones. Remote and hybrid work models have gained traction globally, providing employees with greater flexibility. However, they also bring unique challenges that can negatively impact mental and emotional well-being.
For instance, a 2025 report by Gallup found that fully remote workers are more likely to experience stress compared to their on-site counterparts. In fact, 45% of remote workers reported feeling stressed the previous day, compared to 39% of on-site workers. This statistic highlights the cognitive burden that comes with the flexibility of remote work, as employees struggle to draw boundaries between their professional and personal lives.
In Nigeria, these challenges are particularly evident. A 2025 study published in the African Journal of Economics and Business Research noted that remote work can be emotionally taxing due to factors such as social isolation, burnout, and the pressure to be constantly available. These challenges often lead to higher levels of stress and mental exhaustion among Nigerian remote workers, who struggle to maintain work-life balance.
Furthermore, a report from Aureole Nigeria ranked Nigeria 60th in the 2025 “World’s Best Work-Life Balance” index, highlighting that work-life balance remains a significant concern for workers in the country. Despite the flexibility that remote and hybrid models offer, the inability to separate personal life from work leads to long-term burnout and emotional fatigue for many employees.
For employers, these findings underscore the need to implement strategies that support mental health and well-being in the workplace. Ensuring that remote workers have the necessary resources, fostering social connections, and encouraging a healthy work-life balance are essential steps in mitigating the negative effects of remote work.
The Gallup study adds that globally, 57% of fully remote workers are actively seeking or open to new job opportunities. This figure drops to 38% when workers are both engaged and thriving. In Nigeria, where job mobility is high 70% of tech workers changed jobs in 2024, according to TechCabal this turnover risk is a wake-up call for employers.
Hybrid workers, who split their time between home and office, fare better in well-being metrics than fully remote workers. In 2025, hybrid work models are gaining ground across various sectors in Nigeria, although the extent of adoption varies. According to a recent study by Zoho, about 31% of Nigerian businesses have adopted hybrid work arrangements, while 55% continue to operate with fully on-site models. The shift toward hybrid work is most prominent in sectors such as technology and finance, where flexibility is seen as a key driver of productivity and employee satisfaction.
However, the transition to hybrid work is not without challenges. A 2024 survey by KPMG Nigeria revealed that while 57% of companies offer hybrid work options, only 22% have implemented comprehensive HR strategies to sustain and support the model in the long term. This indicates a gap in planning and infrastructure, which could impact the effectiveness of hybrid arrangements in the future.
One of the most notable findings from the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in Lagos is the positive impact of hybrid work on employee engagement. According to the International Academic Journal of Human Resource and Business Administration, flexible working conditions, improved employee experience, and the right work-enabling tools significantly contribute to enhanced employee productivity and job satisfaction.
Despite the growing trend, hybrid work in Nigeria remains a work in progress, with challenges around developing robust support systems and policies to ensure its success. However, the potential benefits such as improved work-life balance, increased talent retention, and higher productivity make it a model worth pursuing, especially for businesses in sectors where remote work is feasible.
As Nigeria continues to embrace this shift, it is essential for businesses to invest in the right infrastructure and develop long-term strategies to fully harness the benefits of hybrid work. “For some employees, remote work might feel like ‘just work,’ without the friendships, team lunches, storytelling, and camaraderie that on-site and hybrid work could provide,” the report notes.
This social aspect is critical in Nigeria, where workplace culture often mirrors family-like bonds. Recent studies on the effects of hybrid and remote work models have shed light on their impact on team cohesion and employee engagement. A 2024 study by Oloidi et al. examined the influence of hybrid work systems on employee engagement in selected FMCG companies in Lagos, Nigeria. The study found that hybrid work systems positively affected employee engagement, with flexibility, work enablers, and employee experience being key factors in fostering a motivated workforce.
However, while hybrid setups can improve engagement, they also present challenges in terms of social cohesion within teams. A study by Rouhelo (2024) highlighted that while hybrid work can strengthen task cohesion through a mix of virtual and in-person communication, it poses difficulties for social cohesion due to fewer face-to-face interactions. This underscores the need for organizations to adopt practices that encourage team bonding and interaction, such as regular team-building activities and strategic communication.
The Gallup report also points to technology as a double-edged sword. While tools like Zoom and Slack enable remote work, they can be frustrating when connectivity falters, a common issue in Nigeria, where only 45% of urban areas have reliable internet, according to a 2025 NCC report.
“Physical distance could create mental distance,” the report warns, noting that technical glitches can amplify stress.
In Nigeria, where 60% of remote workers rely on mobile data due to inconsistent broadband (GSMA 2024), these frustrations are all too real. The report suggests that employers invest in robust tech support to mitigate these challenges.
The findings offer a roadmap for Nigerian employers navigating the remote work boom. With the country’s remote workforce projected to grow by 20% annually through 2030 (McKinsey Nigeria), addressing well-being is critical to retaining talent.
The report advises, “By supporting both engagement and well-being, employers can protect their remote workforce. Leaders should embrace the advantages of remote work, such as flexible workflows, while also addressing the psychological effects of working alone by encouraging social interactions.”
Virtual team-building is a key strategy for enhancing employee morale, especially as remote work continues to be a dominant mode of operation across industries. A 2024 study conducted by Ibeh, Oyekunle, and Boohene emphasizes the significant role that morale plays in the engagement and productivity of virtual teams. The research suggests that a positive morale not only drives individual motivation but also leads to optimal team performance.
Key factors identified for improving morale in virtual settings include effective leadership, the use of reliable technology, clear communication, trust-building, and ensuring that tasks are well-defined. When employees feel supported and valued in a remote work environment, their productivity levels rise, contributing to the success of projects.
In the Nigerian context, research on remote work conducted at Nigeria Breweries Plc in 2025 further supports these findings. The study found that investing in robust digital tools, providing regular training, and fostering a supportive work environment significantly boosts employee productivity in remote settings. These elements are crucial for creating a productive virtual workforce, especially in a country like Nigeria where remote work is becoming more prevalent.
Employers must act swiftly to balance engagement with well-being. By investing in social support, tech reliability, and structured flexibility, they can ensure remote workers thrive, not just survive. As Nigeria’s digital economy grows, the success of its workforce hinges on getting this balance right.