From one remote worker in Nigeria to another, one of the perks of remote work is minimal physical human interaction, at least for the shy ones. But this isn’t the flex that it looks like because your career advancement sometimes hinges on building networks and professional relationships. Strong networks help with job referrals, collaboration opportunities, mentorship, visibility, and access to global communities that would otherwise be out of reach. This article explores how remote workers like you and me, who struggle with networking, can build connections both online and offline.
Also read: Nigeria’s time zone advantage for remote work
It was probably one of your resolutions at the beginning of the year to meet new people, collaborate, and build meaningful relationships. Perhaps if we re-emphasise the importance of networking online and offline, we can take it a bit seriously.
Network is about positioning and guts. Make yourself accessible and be open to networking. Once you are in the right space, the rest is the guts to make the relationship happen. By leveraging both online and offline strategies, you can improve your networking experience.
Networking begins long before you attempt to make a connection. When you build a strong online personality, you easily gain the attention of relevant people before ever meeting them. This means having a professional presence across platforms like LinkedIn, X (Twitter), GitHub, Behance, Instagram, or a personal website, depending on your space.
Also read: How to build a global personal brand from Nigeria
If you have a problem with networking, you are probably sleeping on LinkedIn. It remains one of the most influential platforms for professional networking, where you can interact with global professionals without travelling.
Share insights from your work, post thoughtful comments under industry conversations, and connect with individuals whose interests or expertise align with yours. You can send personalised messages and engage consistently with experts so much that they remember your name.
You can easily grow your network using online communities and workspaces relevant to your work. If you are a developer, you should join engineering groups, open-source communities, and Slack channels. As a product designer, you can participate in global design collectives and hackathons. Writers contribute to content communities and participate in cohort-based courses.
These communities serve as learning avenues and networking hubs. You can collaborate on projects, participate in group discussions, get feedback, and build relationships. And because they are online communities, you can join from wherever you are. A remote worker in Ikorodu or Ijebu can collaborate with someone in Berlin or Toronto just as easily as someone in Lekki or Maitama.
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To really make the best of networking, don’t approach it with a transactional mindset. Focus on contributing meaningfully to your community by sharing resources, helping others solve problems, giving feedback, or offering time for quick discussions. Once you have a value-driven network, you are trustworthy. If people remember you as someone who contributes, they are more likely to involve you in opportunities.
You cannot just depend solely on online communities, even with the rise of digital networking. You will maximise the benefits of networking with physical communities. Many Nigerian cities have growing tech and creative communities where remote workers meet in person. Attend meetups, conferences, coworking events, hackathons, or just casual coffee meetups. This way, you can strengthen relationships built online. Many coworking spaces and innovation hubs provide environments where remote workers meet potential collaborators or exchange knowledge.
If you work with a team, you can also network with your local and international colleagues, clients, or managers. These relationships naturally evolve into networks when you consistently deliver high-quality work, communicate well, and demonstrate reliability.
Participate in cross-functional projects that involve collaborating with other teams. Volunteer for tasks that require interaction with new people. Be active during team calls. A company retreat is a good opportunity to make a lasting impression on your colleagues and bosses.
Also read: Top financial tips for Nigerian freelancers entering the global market
Networking is no longer about proximity. It is about presence. With the right strategy, Nigerians working remotely can build powerful, diverse, and enduring networks that support long-term career growth. At Grey, we don’t just provide you seamless cross-border payments through multicurrency accounts that support USD, EUR, and GBP at low fees and competitive exchange rates; we also provide remote workers and digital nomads with the Grey Area, our global user community for networking, collaboration, and growth.
Sign up on Grey or download the mobile app to join a global community of remote workers with financial freedom.
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