Bridging the Digital Divide: Nigeria's Post-Pandemic Shift to Remote and Hybrid Work Models

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift toward remote and hybrid work globally, impacting Nigeria's complex socioeconomic landscape with infrastructural deficiencies, digital divides, and varying organizational adaptability. Understanding Nigeria’s progress toward workplace digitization is essential for assessing the viability of telecommuting and hybrid work models in the long term. This study investigates Nigeria’s readiness for remote and hybrid work post-COVID-19, evaluating employment trends, digital infrastructure, HR management adaptations, and productivity outcomes, to guide policy reforms and interventions. A quantitative design was used, analyzing data from publications, government reports, and organizational datasets (2000–2025). Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied, complemented by thematic synthesis and gap analysis to ensure validity and alignment with global standards. Findings show progress in digital adoption post-2020, with increased internet penetration, better ICT infrastructure, and improved HR responsiveness. However, disparities persist across regions and sectors, especially in rural areas and public institutions. While telecommuting enhanced productivity in digitally advanced sectors, infrastructural gaps, limited digital skills, and unclear policies hindered scalability. Nigeria has made significant progress but lacks a unified framework to support an inclusive remote work culture. A coordinated policy and institutional approach is needed to address the digital divide, enhance HR transformation, and ensure sustainable productivity in remote models. Short-term actions should focus on broadband expansion and digital skill development. Midterm priorities include establishing national telework standards and decentralizing workspaces. In the long term, a national remote work strategy integrated into labor, ICT, and education policies is needed to strengthen Nigeria’s workforce and competitiveness. This study provides key insights into Nigeria’s preparedness for remote work, identifying gains and ongoing challenges while offering actionable pathways for policy and institutional improvements.