At Chijos News, we tell the everyday stories of Nigerians navigating life abroad, the moments that don’t always make headlines but shape real experiences. From work, immigration and money to culture shock and identity, our goal is to help the Nigerian diaspora in the UK understand the system without losing themselves in it.
Some of the funniest and most misunderstood culture clashes in the UK don’t happen on television or in Parliament. They happen quietly in offices, hospitals, care homes, warehouses, shops and staff rooms, when Nigerians and British colleagues are simply being themselves.
For Nigerians, many workplace behaviours feel completely normal. Showing respect with “sir” or “ma”. Switching to pidgin when you see another Naija person. Reacting loudly when something goes wrong. Praying under your breath before a stressful task. Bringing proper food from home for lunch.
But to many British colleagues, these same behaviours can feel intense, confusing, or just plain mysterious.
This isn’t about who is right or wrong. It’s about different cultural defaults. Here’s a deep, honest look at the things Nigerians do at work that often confuse British colleagues – and what’s really happening underneath.
“Sir” and “Ma” Are Respect, Not Fear
For many Nigerians, calling someone “sir” or “ma” is automatic. It’s how we were raised. Teachers, elders, bosses, supervisors – respect is shown verbally and consistently. It doesn’t mean fear or weakness. It means good upbringing.
In UK workplaces, this often lands differently. British managers may feel uncomfortable or awkward, as if they’re being placed above everyone else. Some worry they are being made to look authoritarian. Others interpret it as excessive formality or distance.
What Nigerians mean is simple respect. What British colleagues often hear is hierarchy. Over time, many Nigerians learn to switch to first names, but it takes conscious effort to undo a lifetime of cultural training.
Loud, Expressive Communication Isn’t Anger
Nigerians communicate with energy. Voices rise when excitement increases. Hands move. Facial expressions work overtime. Reactions are emotional and instant. When Excel crashes, the response might be “Ah! God please!” before the brain even catches up.
In British workplaces, emotional volume is much lower. So Nigerian passion can easily be misread as anger, tension or confrontation. A normal debate can sound like an argument. A strong reaction can feel like drama.
What Nigerians are expressing is engagement. What British colleagues often perceive is conflict. Neither is wrong, but without context, misunderstanding is almost guaranteed.
Mixing Personal Life and Work Life Quickly
A Nigerian colleague might ask about your family within days of starting a job. They might share stories about their parents, children or responsibilities back home without thinking twice. Inviting someone to church or a family event can feel natural.
In UK work culture, personal boundaries are tighter. Relationships build slowly. Colleagues may work together for years without knowing much about each other’s private lives. Early personal sharing can feel intense or like oversharing.
For Nigerians, this is bonding. For many British colleagues, it’s fast intimacy. The mismatch can leave both sides confused, even when intentions are good.
Hierarchy Runs Deep in Nigerian Thinking
In many Nigerian workplaces, hierarchy is everything. You don’t talk over your boss. You don’t challenge them publicly. You show respect through silence, tone and body language.
In the UK, hierarchy exists but behaves differently. Junior staff challenge managers openly. Disagreement in meetings is encouraged. First names are the norm, even with senior leadership.
This can leave Nigerians holding back brilliant ideas, waiting to be invited to speak, or avoiding disagreement altogether. British colleagues may misread this as lack of confidence or disengagement, while Nigerians see it as respect and self-preservation.
Nigerian English and Pidgin Slip Out Naturally
Nigerian English is rich, expressive and creative. Phrases like “I’m coming”, “off the light”, “shift small”, or “it’s paining me” make perfect sense back home. Add pidgin expressions like “abeg”, “na wa”, or “oya” and you have a full emotional vocabulary.
In UK workplaces, this can confuse colleagues who take words very literally. Some laugh. Some are puzzled. Others need translation.
For Nigerians, this is normal English. For British colleagues, it’s quirky and unfamiliar – sometimes endearing, sometimes confusing.
Team Hustle Versus Clear Boundaries
Nigerians often operate with a collective mindset. If something needs doing, you step in. If a problem affects the team, you solve it, even if it’s not strictly your job.
In the UK, roles are more defined. Processes matter. Authority matters. Changing systems or stepping in without approval can raise eyebrows, even when intentions are good.
What Nigerians see as ownership and teamwork, British colleagues may see as crossing boundaries.
Strong Emotional Reactions to Fairness and Pay
Many Nigerians react visibly to perceived unfairness. Promotions, recognition, workload and pay matter deeply, especially when responsibilities stretch beyond the individual to family back home.
Frustration is often expressed emotionally and directly. British workplaces tend to handle dissatisfaction more quietly, through formal procedures and careful language.
This difference can make Nigerians seem dramatic and British colleagues seem cold, when both are responding to the same issue through different cultural lenses.
Read Also: UK Workplace Culture Explained: How Nigerians Adapt and Thrive at Work
Faith Appears Naturally in Everyday Speech
For many Nigerians, faith is woven into daily life. Phrases like “by God’s grace” or “God will help us” are reflexive, not performative. Reading scripture during breaks or offering prayer as comfort feels normal.
In more secular UK workplaces, this can create uncertainty. Some colleagues appreciate it. Others worry about boundaries or misunderstand it as proselytising.
What Nigerians mean is support and hope. What British colleagues hear is religion entering a professional space.
Food Smells and Cultural Identity
Office kitchens reveal culture fast. Nigerian food is bold, spiced and aromatic. Jollof, egusi, okro, pepper soup – comfort food that carries memory and identity.
To some British colleagues, unfamiliar smells prompt curiosity or discomfort. Comments about “strong” food can unintentionally make Nigerians feel judged.
For Nigerians, food is home. For others, it’s simply unfamiliar.
Family Back Home Is Always Present
Many Nigerians abroad work under pressure that colleagues may never see. Money is sent home monthly. Parents, siblings and extended family depend on that income. Missing a shift can mean real consequences.
This explains why many Nigerians take extra shifts, stress about hours and react emotionally to changes at work. British colleagues may see ambition or money-focus, without realising the weight behind it.
Colleagues Become Family
Nigerians often blur the line between colleague and family. Offering food, help, prayer, lifts or emotional support comes naturally. Calling someone “my brother” or “my sister” is about belonging, not biology.
Some British colleagues love this warmth. Others find it unfamiliar or overwhelming. Neither response is wrong – it’s cultural difference in real time.
Adapting Without Losing Yourself
Thriving in the UK workplace doesn’t mean erasing your identity. It means learning to translate it. Many Nigerians succeed by dialing down intensity when needed, code-switching consciously, explaining cultural habits rather than hiding them, and observing how communication works around them.
The goal is understanding, not disappearance.
Final Thoughts from Chijos News
Yes, Nigerians do things at work that confuse British colleagues. But confusion is not failure. It’s the starting point for understanding.
For Nigerians, the challenge is staying authentic while learning how to be understood in a new system. For British colleagues, the opportunity is to see beyond surface behaviour and recognise the intelligence, resilience, humour and depth behind it.
At Chijos News, we believe the diaspora experience isn’t about choosing between cultures. It’s about learning how to stand confidently in both.