UNILAG Non-Academic Staff Recruitment: Portal, Eligibility, Requirements, Salaries
The University of Lagos (UNILAG) periodically opens applications for non-teaching positions across its various departments, including the Registry, Bursary, Works and Physical Planning, the Centre for Information Technology and Systems (CITS), the Medical Centre, and the UNILAG Staff School. This article explains how the recruitment process works, who qualifies, what documents are needed, and how salaries are structured, based on the university’s official recruitment framework as it stands in 2026.
What Non-Academic Staff Recruitment Covers
Non-academic (also called non-teaching) staff at UNILAG are employees who support the university’s operations without direct classroom teaching responsibilities at the undergraduate or postgraduate level. This group is broad and spans administrative officers, accountants, engineers, agricultural officers, technologists, IT system analysts, medical personnel (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, radiographers), drivers and technical assistants, and teaching staff at the university’s staff school, which serves the children of staff and the surrounding community.
Each unit within UNILAG recruits for specific roles depending on operational need, so vacancies are not released on a fixed yearly calendar. Instead, the university publishes an advertisement whenever approved positions become available, and interested applicants apply within a stated window, typically 42 days from the date of publication.
Where the Recruitment Portal Is Located
Applications for non-teaching positions are submitted through UNILAG’s dedicated careers portal at career.unilag.edu.ng. This is separate from the university’s general recruitment site (recruitment.unilag.edu.ng), which also lists academic, non-academic, and medical vacancies but directs applicants to the same career portal for actual submission. Candidates upload their application, curriculum vitae (CV), and supporting documents directly through this platform rather than submitting by email or in person.
Because third-party job websites frequently republish outdated or unofficial versions of UNILAG’s recruitment announcements, applicants should only trust vacancy details found on the official unilag.edu.ng domain or its linked career portal. Relying on other sources risks acting on expired deadlines or incorrect position listings.
General Eligibility Requirements
Before looking at requirements specific to each department, every applicant for a non-teaching role at UNILAG must meet baseline conditions that apply across the board:
- A minimum of five credits in the Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE), NECO, WASSCE, or GCE Ordinary Level, including English Language and Mathematics, is compulsory for virtually every position, regardless of rank.
- Applicants must be digitally literate and demonstrate proficiency in basic ICT tools, since shortlisted candidates are invited for a computer-based IT proficiency test before the interview stage.
- Academic and professional qualifications specific to each position are required in addition to the general secondary school credit requirement.
- Most graduate-entry positions require a first degree with a minimum of Second Class Lower Division from a recognized institution.
- A National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Discharge Certificate, or evidence of Exemption or Exclusion, is required for graduate positions.
Requirements by Department
The specific qualifications differ by unit and rank. The table below summarizes the core requirements for major roles typically advertised.
| Department | Position | Core Requirement | Experience Needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registry | Assistant Registrar (CONTISS 9) | First degree (2nd Class Lower minimum), relevant administrative skill area (HR, procurement, project management, etc.) | 6 years cognate experience in an educational institution |
| Registry | Administrative Officer I (CONTISS 8) | First degree (2nd Class Lower minimum) | 3 years working experience |
| Registry | Administrative Officer II (CONTISS 7) | First degree (2nd Class Lower minimum) | Entry level |
| Bursary | Accountant I (CONTISS 8) | Degree in Accounting or ICAN/ANAN/ACCA certification | 3 years experience |
| Bursary | Accountant II (CONTISS 7) | Degree in Accounting, or any degree plus accounting experience | 2 years (if non-Accounting degree) |
| Works & Physical Planning | Engineer I (CONTISS 8) | B.Sc. in Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical/Electronic Engineering; COREN registration mandatory | Entry to mid-level |
| Works & Physical Planning | Technologist II (CONTISS 7) | HND/B.Tech/B.Sc. in Science, Engineering, or Technology; professional registration required | Entry level |
| CITS | System Analyst II (CONTISS 7) | B.Sc. in Computer Science or Computer Engineering (2nd Class Lower minimum) | Entry level |
| Medical Centre | Medical Officer (CONMESS 2) | MBBS or equivalent; must be registered with the Medical & Dental Council of Nigeria | Entry to mid-level |
| Medical Centre | Pharmacist I (CONHESS 8) | B.Pharm (2nd Class Lower minimum); Pharmacist Council of Nigeria registration required | Entry level |
| Staff School | Master II (CONTISS 7) | NCE (Merit) or B.Ed./PGDE (2nd Class Lower minimum) | 2 years teaching experience |
Positions that involve regulated professions carry an added condition: registration with the relevant professional body is compulsory, not optional. Engineers must be registrable with the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), pharmacists must be registered with the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria (PCN), medical laboratory scientists must be registered with the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), and radiographers must hold registration with the Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria (RRBN). Applicants who meet the academic requirement but lack the professional registration are typically disqualified at the screening stage.
Lower-cadre technical roles, such as Technical Assistant or Motor Driver/Mechanic, do not require a university degree. These positions instead ask for SSCE credits combined with trade-specific qualifications, such as a Trade Test II certificate or NABTEB certification in fields like plumbing, carpentry, electrical installation, or bricklaying. Drivers additionally need a valid Class E driving licence, at least two years of driving experience, and working knowledge of Lagos road networks and traffic regulations.
How to Apply: Step-by-Step Process
- Visit the official career portal at career.unilag.edu.ng and locate the current vacancy announcement.
- Prepare a detailed CV following the exact format UNILAG specifies, which includes full names, place and date of birth, state of origin and local government area, home and postal addresses, gender, phone number, email, nationality at birth, marital status, number and ages of children, full educational history with institution names and dates, academic and professional qualifications with distinctions, a statement of work experience covering past and present roles, and the names and addresses of three referees.
- Select the specific position and department being applied for, since a single advertisement usually covers multiple roles across different units.
- Upload supporting documents, including certificates, NYSC documentation, and evidence of professional registration where applicable.
- Arrange for referees to submit references directly to the university through career.unilag.edu.ng, as UNILAG requires referee letters to come independently from the referees rather than through the applicant.
- Submit before the closing date, which is typically set at 42 days from the date the vacancy was published. Late submissions are not considered.
- Await screening results. Only shortlisted candidates are contacted for the IT proficiency test (a computer-based test, or CBT) and subsequent interview.
Salary Structure
Non-academic staff at UNILAG, like at other federal universities in Nigeria, are paid according to the CONTISS (Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure) scale for administrative, technical, and support roles, while medical and health-related staff fall under CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) for doctors and CONHESS (Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure) for nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, and radiographers.
Pay grades run from lower numbers (junior or entry-level, less specialized roles) to higher numbers (senior or highly qualified roles). For instance, a Motor Driver/Mechanic sits at CONTISS 3, a Technical Assistant at CONTISS 4, entry-level graduate roles like Administrative Officer II and System Analyst II sit at CONTISS 7, more experienced roles like Administrative Officer I and Accountant I sit at CONTISS 8, and Assistant Registrar sits at CONTISS 9. Medical Officers are placed on CONMESS 2, while health professionals such as pharmacists sit on CONHESS 8 and others like laboratory scientists and radiographers sit on CONHESS 7.
Exact take-home pay for each grade is tied to the prevailing national minimum wage benchmark set by the federal government at the time of appointment, along with allowances for housing, transport, and other entitlements outlined in the university’s approved conditions of service. Because minimum wage figures and salary structures are periodically reviewed by government policy, applicants should confirm current figures through the official UNILAG career portal or the university’s Bursary department rather than relying on fixed numbers, which change over time.
Conditions of Service
Successful candidates are governed by the Regulations Governing the Conditions of Service of Senior and Junior Staff of the University of Lagos. This document outlines entitlements such as leave allowances, pension contributions under the Contributory Pension Scheme, medical benefits through the university’s Medical Centre, and disciplinary procedures. New employees typically serve a probationary period before their appointment is confirmed as permanent and pensionable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know when UNILAG is recruiting non-academic staff? UNILAG publishes recruitment announcements on its official website (unilag.edu.ng) under its news section and on the dedicated recruitment portal (recruitment.unilag.edu.ng). There is no fixed annual date, so checking these platforms regularly, or following the university’s verified social media accounts, is the most reliable way to catch new openings.
Is a university degree compulsory for all non-teaching positions? No. While most administrative, accounting, engineering, and medical roles require at least a first degree, lower-cadre technical positions such as Technical Assistant or Driver/Mechanic only require SSCE credits combined with trade certification relevant to the role.
Can someone without NYSC experience apply? Graduate-entry roles generally require an NYSC Discharge Certificate, or evidence of Exemption or Exclusion. Candidates who have not completed NYSC and do not qualify for exemption typically cannot apply for these positions until they do.
Do all applicants go through an interview? Not immediately. Applications first go through a documentation screening. Only shortlisted candidates are invited for the IT proficiency test, and those who pass proceed to a panel interview.
Are non-academic staff salaries the same across all Nigerian federal universities? Non-academic staff salaries follow the same CONTISS, CONMESS, and CONHESS frameworks used across federal universities in Nigeria, so grade-for-grade pay structures are broadly similar. However, actual take-home pay can vary slightly due to differences in allowances, cost-of-living adjustments, and institutional policies specific to each university.