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The short answer
A weekly roster should give every worker at least one rest day of 24 hours in every seven days and a rest break of at least an hour on long shifts, as section 13 of the Labour Act requires for workers it covers. The Act leaves normal hours to agreement between employer and worker, so the roster must match the hours in each person’s contract, with extra hours treated as overtime.
Shops, restaurants, pharmacies and clinics that open seven days a week need a roster that covers every hour without wearing out the same few people. A written roster also prevents arguments about who was meant to be on duty and gives you a record if hours or pay are ever disputed.
What the Labour Act requires
The Labour Act (Cap L1, Laws of the Federation 2004) applies to ‘workers’, a definition that excludes people in administrative, executive, technical or professional roles. For workers it covers, section 13 provides:
- Normal hours are fixed by agreement between the parties, by collective agreement or by a wages board. Hours beyond normal hours are overtime. The Act does not set an overtime rate; that comes from the contract or collective agreement.
- Where a worker works six hours or more a day, there is a rest interval of at least one hour.
- Every worker is entitled to at least one rest day of 24 hours in every seven days. If a rest day is lost, the worker gets time off within 14 days or is paid at overtime rates.
Two further rules affect rosters. Section 7 requires a written statement of terms, including hours, within three months of starting. Section 75 requires employers to keep records, which a roster and attendance sheet support. On public holidays, the Public Holidays Act (section 4) says no one can be compelled to do on a public holiday anything they could not be compelled to do on a Sunday, so put holiday working in contracts and on the roster early. See public holiday pay for staff who work.
Template: weekly roster (shop open 8am to 9pm, 7 days)
This example uses two shifts: Early (E) 8:00 to 15:00 and Late (L) 14:00 to 21:00, each seven hours including a one-hour break, with an hour’s overlap for handover. R is a rest day. Two people are on every shift.
| Staff | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | Shifts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | E | E | E | L | L | E | R | 6 |
| B | L | L | E | E | E | R | L | 6 |
| C | E | L | L | E | R | L | E | 6 |
| D | R | E | L | R | L | E | L | 5 |
| E | L | R | R | L | E | L | E | 5 |
Each day has two people on Early and two on Late, and everyone has at least one rest day in the week. Staff A to C work 6 shifts (36 working hours after breaks); D and E work 5 (30 hours). Check these against each contract: if a contract says 40 hours, you are under; if it says 30, A to C are working overtime.
Columns to add to your own version
- Week starting date and roster version, signed by the manager.
- Contracted weekly hours for each person, and the total rostered.
- Overtime hours, approved in advance.
- Leave, sick days and public holidays marked separately from rest days.
- Swap requests: who swapped with whom, approved by whom.
Steps to build a fair roster
- Map demand: busiest days and hours from your sales records.
- Set minimum cover per shift (for example two on the till, one in stock).
- Fix each person’s rest day first, then fill shifts.
- Avoid a late shift followed immediately by an early one where you can; it leaves little time to rest and commute.
- Publish the roster at least a week ahead.
- Keep the signed roster and actual attendance together; the Labour Act requires records to be kept.
Handling swaps, absences and overtime
Rosters break down when changes are informal. Set three simple rules. First, swaps are allowed only between people trained for the same role and must be approved by the manager in writing, even by WhatsApp. Second, a person who calls in sick is recorded as sick, not as having a rest day; the Labour Act gives up to 12 working days of paid sick leave a year with a medical certificate (section 16), so the two must be tracked separately. Third, overtime is approved before it is worked and recorded on the roster, so that payroll matches the hours.
Clinics and restaurants: special points
Clinics running night cover should agree night hours and any allowance in writing and make sure the rest day still falls in each seven-day period. Restaurants with split shifts should roster the gap as unpaid only if contracts say so. Staff in professional roles, such as doctors and pharmacists, are likely to fall outside the Labour Act’s definition of worker, so their hours depend on their contracts.
Where Pryme fits
Once hours and overtime are confirmed, payroll on a Pryme Business Account can pay staff from the business account, with the Chief of Staff agent preparing the run for a person to approve. For hiring, see hiring and keeping staff in Lagos.
Questions people ask
How many hours can staff work in a day in Nigeria?
The Labour Act leaves normal hours to agreement between employer and worker. Hours beyond the agreed normal hours are overtime, and a worker on six hours or more gets at least a one-hour rest interval.
Is it compulsory to give staff a day off every week?
Yes, for workers covered by the Labour Act: at least one 24-hour rest day in every seven days, or time off within 14 days or overtime pay if it is lost.
What is the overtime rate in Nigeria?
The Labour Act does not set one. The rate comes from the employment contract or collective agreement.
Can I make staff work on public holidays?
The Public Holidays Act says no one can be compelled to work on a public holiday if they could not be compelled on a Sunday. Agree holiday working in contracts and roster it early.
Sources
- Labour Act Cap L1 LFN 2004 (PLAC) · accessed Oct 2026
- Public Holidays Act (PLAC) · accessed Oct 2026
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