When a Nigerian private firm asks for two referees who must be reachable by phone, the practical solution is to select people who already answer calls or WhatsApp messages reliably, confirm their willingness and preferred contact method in advance, and prepare them with a short brief so the employer’s call does not catch them unprepared. Many graduates and mid-level applicants face the same obstacle: former lecturers rarely pick up unknown numbers, NYSC PPA supervisors change roles or phone lines, and some supervisors simply refuse to take verification calls. The steps below focus on Nigerian workplace realities rather than textbook reference etiquette.
Why private firms insist on phone-reachable referees
According to materials published by Genie AI on Nigerian referral practices, many private employers—especially those in banking, oil and gas, telecommunications and multinational companies—treat at least two professional references as a standard part of the hiring process. The requirement is not unique to large firms; mid-sized private companies often copy the same checklist. A Mondaq analysis of Nigerian employment law notes that the Labour Act itself does not impose a general statutory duty on former employers to issue references. In practice, however, private-sector HR teams still treat a successful phone conversation with a referee as a low-cost verification step before issuing an offer.
The phone-reachable condition exists because written letters alone can be difficult to authenticate quickly, and many Nigerian HR officers prefer to hear a live voice confirm employment dates, role and conduct. When the listed numbers ring out or go unanswered, the candidate’s file often stalls.
Who can realistically serve as a referee when supervisors are unreachable
Start by mapping every professional relationship that still has a working phone line or active WhatsApp. Useful options for graduates and mid-level applicants include:
- A former line manager or senior colleague who has moved to another organisation but still answers your messages.
- An NYSC PPA supervisor or zonal inspector who remains in the same office and can confirm your service period.
- A final-year project supervisor or course lecturer who taught you in more than one module and can speak to specific work you produced.
- A client, vendor contact or project partner who observed your performance on a defined assignment.
- A professional association officer, internship host or volunteer coordinator who supervised measurable tasks.
Avoid listing someone solely because of seniority if that person never answers unknown numbers. A junior colleague who worked closely with you and is willing to take a five-minute call is usually more useful than a director whose personal assistant screens every incoming line.
Practical steps before you submit the names
1. Contact each potential referee first. Prefer WhatsApp or a brief voice note if that is how the person usually communicates. State the exact role you are applying for and ask whether they are willing to take a short verification call from a company HR officer.
2. Confirm the best phone number and the hours when they are most likely to answer. Some people prefer a text or WhatsApp message first so they can prepare before returning the call.
3. Send a short “cheat sheet” once they agree. Include the job title, the company name if known, two or three concrete points about the work you did together, and the approximate dates of the employment or project. Busy Nigerian managers rarely have time to reconstruct details from memory under pressure.
4. Ask whether they prefer the recruiter to call, send an email first, or message on WhatsApp. Note that preference and, if the application form allows free text, mention it politely next to the contact details.
5. Keep a simple tracker of who has agreed, which number they gave, and when you last reminded them. A polite reminder the day before a scheduled reference check reduces the chance of a missed call.
Handling lecturers and NYSC supervisors specifically
Lecturers in Nigerian universities often keep irregular office hours and may ignore numbers they do not recognise. When approaching a lecturer, a short office visit or a direct WhatsApp message that includes your full name, the course or project, and the reason for the request tends to work better than an unsolicited phone call. If you need guidance on framing that request, the existing AlertNaija247 guide on how to ask Nigerian lecturers or supervisors for strong reference letters offers practical scripts that can be adapted for a phone-verification request.
For NYSC PPA supervisors, the challenge is often turnover. The person who signed your clearance may have been redeployed. In that case, a colleague who worked in the same unit during your service year, or the local government inspector who still has your records, can sometimes serve as a substitute if the employer accepts it. Always disclose the nature of the relationship honestly rather than inventing a direct supervisory title.
What to put on the application form and CV
Most private-sector forms ask for name, position, organisation, phone number and sometimes email or relationship. Supply the information the referee has already approved. If the form has a notes field, a short line such as “Prefers WhatsApp first on this number” can prevent a wasted call.
On the CV itself, many candidates simply write “References available on request.” The free CV Builder on AlertNaija247 supports either approach and notes that you do not need to publish referees’ personal details on the document itself. Listing full contact details on a widely circulated CV is rarely necessary and can expose the referees to unsolicited calls.
Common mistakes that slow or kill the process
- Listing a number that has not been tested recently. Call or message the referee yourself first.
- Assuming a former boss will answer because the relationship was good years ago. Confirm current willingness.
- Giving an official landline that rings in a shared office where no one knows you. Prefer a personal mobile the referee actually carries.
- Failing to brief the referee on the new role. An unprepared referee may give vague answers that raise more questions than they answer.
- Using family members or friends as professional referees when the form asks for employment or academic contacts. Most private firms reject them for verification purposes.
Questions applicants frequently ask
What if both my previous supervisors refuse to take calls?
Expand the pool immediately. Look for a senior colleague who observed your work, a client who can confirm a completed project, or an academic who supervised a substantial piece of work. Explain the situation briefly to the new potential referee and obtain their agreement before submitting the name. Some employers will accept one employment referee and one academic referee if the combination still allows verification of character and capability.
Can I use someone from my NYSC place of primary assignment even if I left more than a year ago?
Yes, provided that person still remembers your service period and is willing to speak. The relationship is professional, not personal. State the exact capacity (for example, “NYSC PPA supervisor, 2024”) so the employer understands the context.
Is it acceptable to list a referee who prefers WhatsApp over a phone call?
Many Nigerian professionals manage work communication primarily through WhatsApp. If the application form or HR officer allows it, note the preference. Some HR teams will send a message first; others will still attempt a voice call. Having the referee ready for either method reduces friction.
What should I do if the employer complains that a referee did not answer?
Respond quickly with an alternative contact or a corrected number, and immediately alert the original referee that the call is expected. Offer a second name if the first person remains unreachable. Delays at the reference stage are common; a prompt, solution-focused reply keeps the process moving.
Do I need a formal written reference letter in addition to the phone contacts?
Some private firms request both; others only need the phone verification. If a letter is required, the same people who agreed to take the call can usually produce a short letter on organisational letterhead or as a signed PDF. Do not submit a letter from someone who has not agreed to the phone contact—the inconsistency is easy to detect.
Keeping the process under control
Treat referee management as a short project with clear owners and deadlines. Identify two solid contacts early in every serious application cycle, confirm their availability, and keep their details current. When a firm insists that the referees must be reachable by phone, the candidate who has already done that preparatory work is simply meeting a known Nigerian private-sector expectation rather than inventing a new one.
The guidance above is general practical advice drawn from observed hiring patterns and publicly available commentary on Nigerian employment practice. Individual employers set their own verification rules, and outcomes depend on the specific process of each organisation.