What to Do If Your Employer Has Not Paid Your Salary

Short answer: Document everything, ask in writing for payment on a clear date, then escalate through HR, labour mediation, or legal channels if silence continues. Do not destroy evidence or accept vague promises without dates.

Salary delays are one of the most searched topics on Nigerian forums for a reason. Rent does not wait. Neither should a documented pay process.

First: is this a delay or a default?

Delay: pay day slipped by a few days but employer acknowledges debt and gives a date.

Default: no pay, no clear date, or pattern of partial payments.

Your response differs. Delays sometimes need patience plus pressure. Defaults need structure fast.

Step 1: Gather your evidence

Collect:

• Employment contract or offer letter (pay amount and frequency)
• Payslips or pay summaries for past months
• Bank statements showing which months paid and which did not
• Emails, chats, or letters about pay
• Timesheets or proof of work if you are hourly or contract-adjacent

Screenshots are fine. Back them up outside company systems if you still have access.

Step 2: Send a written request

Email HR and your manager (keep it professional):

"Please confirm payment of my [month] salary of [amount] and the value date. My records show no credit as of [date]."

Set a reasonable deadline (often 7 to 14 days). Avoid threats in message one; save escalation for message two.

Step 3: Internal escalation

If HR stalls:

• Ask finance directly with the same paper trail
• Involve your union if you have one
• Speak to a trusted senior leader who cares about retention

Many disputes resolve here when someone realizes payroll simply failed, not that the company intends to cheat you.

Step 4: External options in Nigeria

If internal routes fail:

• Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment (complaint and mediation)
• Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) or sector union where applicable
• National Industrial Court (NICN) for formal employment disputes
• Legal counsel specialising in labour law

NICN handles employment and wage matters. Serious cases need qualified advice; forums are not courts.

What the law expects (plain English)

Employers generally must pay wages as agreed and on a regular schedule (often monthly in professional roles). Withholding pay for work already done, or deducting without contract or law, crosses a line.

This is general information, not legal advice for your specific case.

While you wait: protect yourself

• Reduce new personal lending tied to expected salary
• Prioritize rent, food, and transport in conversations with creditors where needed
• Do not quit impulsively without understanding notice and final settlement rules
• Avoid informal "side deals" that waive owed pay without a signed settlement

If you are a contractor, not an employee

Contractors usually invoice; "salary" language may not apply. Your leverage is the contract, deliverables accepted, and payment terms. Different forums, similar discipline: document, demand, escalate.

For employers reading this

Late pay destroys trust faster than a bad office chair. If cash flow is tight:

• Communicate early with dates
• Pay partial only with written agreement
• Fix payroll process so one missed run does not become three

Staff Pay helps teams run pay with clearer records and less "we thought finance already sent it" confusion.