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The short answer
An internship or SIWES agreement records that the placement is for training, how long it lasts, who supervises, any stipend, and confidentiality. SIWES is run by the Industrial Training Fund, and placement organisations are expected to appoint an industry supervisor and complete the student's logbook and ITF Form 8; the agreement should match those duties.
SIWES, IT and internships: what they are
Nigerian students in sciences, engineering, management sciences, agriculture and similar courses must complete the Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES), often called 'IT'. According to the SIWES regulations approved by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University's Senate in January 2026, the scheme is run by the Industrial Training Fund (ITF), began in 1973, and lasts from 8 to 10 weeks to a full 12 months depending on the course. A graduate internship is different: the person has finished school and joins a business for a period of supervised work.
Both arrangements are about learning. That is why a separate agreement, rather than a standard employment contract, is useful. It does not change the law by its label, though: if an 'intern' is in practice doing a full job for months with no training element, they may be treated as an employee. Write the agreement to match what actually happens.
What a placement organisation is expected to do
The ATBU regulations list the placement's role for SIWES students:
- accept students for attachment;
- appoint an industry-based supervisor;
- allow students access to facilities;
- provide welfare services, including medication and payment for hospitalisation;
- provide protective equipment where needed;
- take part in assessment by completing ITF Form 8 and the student's logbook;
- endorse the Students' Commencement of Attachment Form (SCAF), which the student submits to the nearest ITF office.
The same document says the ITF pays student allowances by e-payment; it does not say employers must pay a stipend. Many firms pay one anyway to cover transport. For the pay question in detail, see paying interns in Nigeria.
There is a benefit for employers who contribute to the ITF. ThisDay reported in April 2019 that the ITF refunds 50% of training contributions to qualifying employers, with conditions that included accepting SIWES students. Check the current conditions with the ITF; our guide to NHF, NSITF and ITF explains the contribution.
The template
- Purpose. This is a training placement under [SIWES / the Host's graduate internship programme]. It is not a contract of employment and gives no right to future employment.
- Period. From [date] to [date] ([weeks/months]), as required by [institution / programme].
- Supervisor. [Name, role] will supervise the Intern, sign the logbook [weekly] and complete ITF Form 8 and any institution assessment.
- Training plan. The Intern will rotate through [departments] and learn [skills], as set out in Schedule 1.
- Hours. [Days and hours]. Time off for school assessment, seminars or supervisory visits will be allowed.
- Stipend. [None / ₦____ per month towards transport and meals], paid by transfer on [day]. This is not a salary.
- Safety and welfare. The Host will provide safety equipment and induction, and first aid or medical help in an emergency at work.
- Confidentiality. The Intern will keep the Host's customer, financial and business information confidential during and after the placement, and will return all materials at the end.
- Work created. Work produced for the Host during the placement may be used by the Host. The Intern may describe it in a CV or report without disclosing confidential details.
- Conduct. The Intern follows the Host's rules. Serious misconduct may end the placement, with notice to the institution.
- Ending early. Either party may end the placement with [one week's] notice, informing the institution.
- Personal data. The Host will handle the Intern's data for the placement and legal purposes only.
- Signatures. Host, Intern, and for under-18s, a parent or guardian.
Making the placement useful
A good placement gives the student work that matches the course, not just errands. Agree a short training plan at the start: which tasks in the first fortnight, which in the middle, and what the student should be able to do by the end. The logbook then records real progress, the supervisor's Form 8 comments are easier to write, and the host gets useful work in return. Brief the rest of the team so the student is not left idle when the supervisor is out.
Age and minors
Most SIWES students are adults, but some polytechnic and OND students may be younger. The Labour Act, section 9(3), says no one under 16 can enter a contract of employment except in apprenticeship, and section 59 bars anyone under 15 from work in an industrial undertaking, with a technical school exception. Take care with anyone under 18, get a guardian's signature, and keep them away from hazardous tasks.
What to check first
- The placement letter from the institution, and its required duration.
- A named supervisor with time to supervise.
- Logbook and ITF Form 8 duties diarised.
- Stipend, if any, agreed in writing.
Where Pryme fits
Stipends can be paid monthly through Pryme payroll or bulk payouts. For corps members, see hiring NYSC corps members. This article is information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Do companies pay SIWES students in Nigeria?
The ITF pays SIWES student allowances by e-payment. Guidelines we reviewed do not require employers to pay a stipend, but many do to cover transport and meals.
What is ITF Form 8?
It is the SIWES assessment form completed by the placement organisation and graded by the university supervisor, according to ATBU's 2026 SIWES regulations.
How long is SIWES?
It depends on the course. ATBU's 2026 regulations list 12 months for some programmes and shorter attachments, from 8 to 10 weeks up to 6 months, for others.
Is an intern an employee in Nigeria?
Not if the placement is in fact for training under a clear agreement. If the 'intern' is doing a full job with no training element, the label may not hold.
Sources
- ATBU Bauchi: SIWES Regulations and Guidelines 2026 · accessed Oct 2026
- ThisDay: ITF refunds N6.5bn to contributing employers (8 Apr 2019) · accessed Oct 2026
- Labour Act Cap L1 LFN 2004 (PLAC Laws of Nigeria) · accessed Oct 2026
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