Design a Remote Work Policy for a Lagos SME That Actually Works

Most remote work frameworks circulating in Nigerian business circles were written for companies in San Francisco or London. They assume stable internet, reliable electricity, and a workforce that already has a home office. None of those assumptions hold for a 20-person logistics company in Surulere or a fintech startup in Lekki Phase 1. The problem is not that Nigerian SMEs do not want flexible work arrangements. Many tried during COVID-19 and found the wheels coming off within weeks: team leads who had never managed remotely, staff sharing one laptop with three siblings, and no agreed norms around availability or response times. The informal management culture, built on physical presence and verbal instruction, did not translate. Your task is to produce a Remote and Hybrid Work Policy document tailored to a specific Nigerian SME of your choice (real or fictionalised with realistic details). The policy should cover: communication norms, working hours and availability expectations, equipment and data allowances, performance measurement, and how managers should handle welfare checks. It should also include a one-page implementation guide for a founder who has never done this before. Good work will show that you understand the real constraints: NEPA schedules, the cost of mobile data, the fact that many junior staff live in shared accommodation, and that trust between employer and employee in Nigeria is often built through visibility. A generic policy copy-pasted from a Western HR template will not score well. Show your thinking.